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What Is Group Booking?
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
A group booking is an arrangement in which benefits of some type are secured for a collection of people, rather than individuals. This type of activity may have to do with the creation of travel arrangements that include airfare, rail travel and even hotel rooms. This same type of booking situation can also apply to everything from securing cinema tickets to obtaining a block of seats for a sports event. There are usually several benefits to group booking, including the potential of obtaining a discounted price.
A basic group booking can be seen as a reservation that provides assurance of having room for a larger number of people. Typically, this type of business arrangement makes it possible to secure certain rights or benefits for the entire group that are considered desirable. For example, a group booking at a hotel may allow all the members of the group to stay on the same floor of the establishment, making it much easier to coordinate activities while in residence. The same general approach applies for a group booking for travel, for example, in that all members of the group may be able to sit in the same sections of the airliner or in connected berths on a train.
Another important benefit of a group booking is the ability to lock in some sort of discounted pricing. It is not unusual for businesses ranging from hotels to theme parks to extend some sort of discount for groups over a certain number of participants. This is often to the benefit of the provider, since it makes it possible to ensure that a certain amount of profit is made from the arrangement. At the same time, the group members benefit since they will pay less for those benefits than if they had reserved the trip or accommodations on their own.
A group booking situation is common in a number of scenarios. Civic and other groups may secure a block of tickets to attend a local sports event together, making it possible to pay less per ticket and obtain seating in the same section. Convention planners can often obtain group booking rates for both participants and exhibitors at the hotels where the events take place, saving money while also making it more convenient to attend the events. Most businesses have specific policies and procedures that relate to group booking situations, making it possible to identify not only what must be done to arrange the booking but also compare the benefits of one program with those offered by a competitor.
Malcolm Tatum
After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.
Learn more...
Malcolm Tatum
After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.
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Discussion Comments
@pastanaga - I know my uncle has a group of friends who get together every now and then and hire a boat for sport fishing. I've always liked the idea, the problem is finding a group who have the same interests and will be willing to pay for these kinds of things.
I guess the essential part is having one of those people around who is willing to do the organizing. If you haven't got someone like that in the group, nothing gets done.
@clintflint - Even if someone pulls out I would still make them pay for it, or they could find someone else to take their place. People shouldn't say that they are going to go someone unless they mean it.
There are definitely some events that are a lot better if you can get a group together to do it. It sounds a bit cynical, but I try to keep a bunch of people in my address book who like similar events for just this reason.
Often, if you can get a big table, it costs almost the same amount as a single booking per person, but you'll be much closer to the stage, or you might get other benefits. Plus it's always nice to have other people around to discuss the show after it finishes.
If you're intending to make a group booking, I would be very careful not to do it unless you've got money off the people you are booking for. I've been burned in the past when people have said they wanted to do something or go somewhere and asked me to book for a group and then changed their mind.
The problem is that often you will get a group rate and the company won't allow you to change the number of people after you've booked it. So you end up having to pay the full amount.
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