Organizing A Destination Family Reunion

Family destination reunions are quickly becoming very popular as a way of reuniting for the growing numbers of families scattered around the world.

One of the most grueling, yet rewarding jobs is to become the group leader of a family reunion. The preparation and organization that is involved can seem overwhelming. But don’t worry, here’s a quick list of what you can do to minimize your stress level and enjoy the experience! Plus you, the group leader, gets a huge benefit: Free Trip.

1. Choosing a neutral yet adventurous place may be a great starter!

2. Send out the invites: email (for younger generations), snail mail (for older generations), telephone (for confirmation).

3. Create a family reunion website. Once it’s up and running, make sure to let everyone know (the traditional way) that it exists.

4. Destination reunions are almost like group travel. Make sure you have lots of family time like meals and gatherings together. However have options for different ages and interests. Plus, don’t forget to include independent travel days which are usually added at the end of the trip.

5. A good way to become a good leader is to arrange a lot of activities and games during the reunion. Lucky for you, that’s what Travel Experta does and everything is included in the final price per person, so there are no surprises or hidden costs.

6. Have a family reunion souvenir to give to everyone upon arrival: T-shirts, mugs, scrapbooks, etc…

7. Always plan the meals ahead of time. For example picnics on the beach, BBQ’s in a park, International night (including food of the country you are visiting), etc…

8. Some people like to organize theme reunions. This can be done regardless where you travel in the world. Almost all hotels will work with you to make sure everything is just right for you and your family.

9. Get a photographer so that the important moments of the reunion are captured. This is a great bonus.

10. Always arrange the hotel rooms in the same floor. I highly recommend that families and individuals get their own room, unless they specify that they want shared accommodations.

Role of the Group Leader

1. The benefits of doing a destination family reunion is that the group leader works closely with a travel specialist who does most of the organization and preparation. So the group leader’s role would mainly be to communicate the family’s desires to the agent.

2. Collecting funds and paying for the entire family is the most important task of a group leader. This way when the family arrives to the destination, all the financing is taken care of.

3. Being a group leader means lots of perks. For one, making a group travel package means big discounts for the family! Plus, the group leader gets to enjoy the trip for free.

What to bring:

1. Cameras

2. Interesting memories to share with the family

3. Interesting memories to share with the family

4. Photo albums of past reunions or special events that took place for everyone to share

5. Games for the family to join in

These family reunions help providing stability and identity for the children and reaffirming the ones that the adults already have. They also have the ability to build friendship and relationship bonds that may last lifetimes and generations.

Costa Rica is known for its beauty, nature and lots of family activities making it a great option for these kind of travels.

Marina K. Villatoro, the Travel Experta, has been living in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for over 10 years. She has traveled here extensively. Now loves organizing vacations to this amazing part of the world, having first hand experience of all the places with her family. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip!