While price must be considered, of course, comparing offers extended to you by organizations can be very difficult to compare. Travel experiences defy the kind of price shopping that may be fine in deciding which commodity to purchase, like deciding which gas station you choose to fill your tank. Continue reading to consider why it is essential to consider the difference between a transactional v. transformational group travel experience.
Let me share an open secret with you that makes your decision even more challenging: All group travel requires essentially the same operations. The group must get to a destination. Once the group arrives at the destination, the group must have a place to stay, things to eat, a way to move around a destination, and things to see and do. Complicating your decision on joining a group travel experience even further are considerations like the number of meals that are included, the quality of the accommodations, the type of sightseeing or dining experiences offered, and other essential factors.
You may recognize a transactional group travel experience if the literature focuses nearly exclusively on the operational excellence of a tour. In an offer of transactional travel, you will likely hear repeated references in the literature to the longevity of the company making the offer as a means of building confidence that a group tour will go smoothly.
The difference between a transactional versus a transformational group travel experience is a difference of focus and emphasis. The transactional group travel experience tends to emphasize what the group will do on a tour, with a focus on the quantity of experiences in an itinerary. A transformational group travel experience will encourage the fellow traveler to measure the quality of the group travel experience, not by the quantity of sights you see or activities you do on a tour, but on the quality of experiences you will absorb.
In a transactional group travel experience, there tends to be no clear or discernible connection between the group travel experience and the vision and mission of the host organization beyond a logo imprinted on the literature or published on the Internet. The purpose of a transformational group travel experience will be clear with a discernible connection between the story a travel experience tells and the vision and mission of the host organization for which you care enough to give of your time, treasure, and talent.
A transformational group travel experience will tell a story to which you, as a fellow traveler, can relate. An itinerary created to be a transformational group travel experience will be formed and shaped as a narrative that will feature experiences intended to engage fellow travelers in ways that lead to discussion and shared memories that are relevant to the purpose of a journey in advancing the vision and mission of the host organization.
If you desire to participate in a transformational group travel experience, please get in touch. We would love to engage in a conversation with you around how a group travel can change your perspective, and perhaps your life.
