Wondering what you can do to be a great Host before and during your group trip? If you want to know how to put your Travelers at ease, stay on schedule, and how to create the kind of environment that leads to rave reviews (and demand for more trips!) look no further. Well, actually do look a little further because this is just the intro. All the actionable goodness is down below…

Chances are you’ve been talking to your community about the trip already (tips for promoting and confirming here), but once they sign up and officially become Travelers, you’ll want to kick the communication up a notch.

Connecting personally breaks the ice, lets them know you care, and guards against cancellations by keeping their interest from falling off. Sure, they “know” you as a social media Creator, but now it’s time to interact one-on-one and start building a real connection. There are a couple of ways to do this and we strongly recommend doing both!

Okay great, you have your pre-trip group chat set up… now what do you talk about?

Create opportunities for travelers to engage with each other by asking icebreaker questions, initiating discussions about the destination or activities, and encouraging sharing of travel experiences and tips. This will help people get connected early, see who they vibe with, and maybe even decide who they want to room up with!

Keep your Travelers informed and prepared by sharing packing tips, reviewing the itinerary, and reminding them of important deadlines. Encourage them to ask questions and address any concerns they may have.

This trip may be a big deal for some of your Travelers. After all, group trips are often the first time a person may be traveling internationally—or at all. That’s kind of a big deal! And can be nerve-racking to say the least.

So do your best to make yourself available to your Travelers before the trip. Be approachable, responsive to inquiries, and willing to assist with any issues or concerns that may arise. Lead by example by showing enthusiasm, positivity, and genuine interest in your travelers. Be actively involved in your group chat, initiate conversations, and participate in group discussions.

In the words of American hero Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, your group could miss crucial deadlines for your upcoming TrovaTrip.” Okay, that might not be the exact quote but you get the idea. With everything your Travelers have going on in their lives, it can be difficult to keep track of all the important dates. Sending them reminders will help keep things running smoothly, make your group feel taken care of, and cement you as their informal leader/savior.

Deadlines to keep in mind are:

P.S. Be sure to read this article on Important Dates & Deadlines as a Trova Host.

You don’t have to send a long email (we’ll do that and it’ll probably get buried in their inbox—shoutout to buying something from an Instagram ad once and then receiving emails about it every day for the rest of your life). Instead, just drop a quick message into the group chat before each date to let everyone know they’re in good hands.

Think back to your best customer service experience ever. The interaction that made you feel like you were more than just walking money and business was suddenly personal in a good way. Maybe you needed help solving a problem or a little empathy on a tough day. Maybe someone simply went out of their way to make sure you, as a fellow human, were comfortable. Whatever it was, tapping into that feeling as a Host can be what turns a trip into a world-class travel experience.

In addition to chatting and giving friendly reminders, our most successful Hosts make an effort to nurture their Travelers before the trip starts. This can include writing personalized postcards, sending out (economical) goodie bags, creating customized packing lists or hiking guides, opening DMs to sensitive questions, and generally putting their personal touch on the whole process.

And don’t worry, you’re not going to turn into your group’s secretary. If there’s something you don’t know or don’t want to say, direct Travelers to send us a message or have them give us a call at +1-877-698-7682 and we’ll take care of it. Once you’re on-trip, your local Guide will take point in handling questions and troubleshooting issues.

But what if it’s too much, you might ask? What if I’m being a helicopter Host? Totally fair concern and there’s definitely a point when helping crosses into nagging. If you’re ever feeling worried or self-conscious about being extra, though, just try and remember what it was like when you were on a group trip or on your first trip abroad. What do you wish would’ve been done, or not done, for you? Was there something that made you happy or more open? Put yourself in those shoes, then trust your experience and instincts.

Ultimately, Hosts who are proactive about reaching out report having groups that are bonded from the very beginning and enthusiastic about–not only traveling–but traveling with you.

Hopefully, you have the tools now to get started on the right foot. Until next time, we'll leave you with a little Traveler-review 💫 inspo: