GROUP TRAVEL Made Easy YOUR COMPLETE SELLING GUIDE
SCHEDULED
SMALL GROUPS
BRENDAN VACATIONS
EXCLUSIVES
CUSTOM
RIVER
WHY GROUPS? Group Travel is one of the most powerful revenue streams available to Travel Advisors – and one of the most underutilized. When you partner with our brands on groups, you’re not just filling seats. You’re creating loyal clients, generating referrals and building a business that compounds year after year. We’ve enhanced our groups division to deliver faster confirmations, stackable offers and enhanced river cruise benefits, making groups business easier and more profitable than ever for Travel Advisors. Whether your group is looking for something completely exclusive, custom or turnkey across land, river or rail – we have a variety of travel styles, price ranges and worldwide destinations to choose from.
THE MARKET OPPORTUNITY Global group travel market projected to nearly double in value by 2033. Source: DataIntelo / GrowthMarketReports, 2025
River cruise is the fastest-growing cruise segment, the fastest-growing segment in the entire cruise industry – set to triple in value by 2035. Source: Grand View Research / MRFR, 2025
Leisure group travel is the single largest segment – led by special interest, family & friend groups. Source: DataIntelo, 2025
TOP 5 REASONS TO WORK WITH US EXPERTISE & SUPPORT With 100+ years of experience, our dedicated Group Specialists are here to support you every step of the way.
STACKABLE SAVINGS Combine market offers and tactical deals to unlock greater value for your groups.
OPTIONS BUILT FOR EVERY GROUP TYPE Choose from pre-set or fully customized trips across all styles and budgets – from classic touring to small group touring.
INCREASED EARNINGS Maximize Commission with high-value group bookings and repeat business opportunities.
MOVE FASTER, CONVERT MORE Transparent availability, instant confirmations, and flexible options to suit your groups needs.
SALES TIP: YOUR NEXT GROUP MIGHT BE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK. they plant the seed. Every reunion, club, congregation, sports team or interest group in your client base is a potential booking.
GROUPS AGENT GUIDE
The most successful advisors don’t wait for clients to ask –
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A PARTNER YOU CAN TRUST We offer five group travel options, each designed for different client needs. Understanding which product fits your client’s situation and working with our team ensures we find the best option to make their travel dreams come true.
We have been creating exceptional experiences for over a century, operating across more than 50 countries. That means unmatched ground expertise, trusted supplier relationships built over decades, and the operational confidence to deliver seamlessly – wherever your clients want to go.
100+
Years of expertise
600+
Trips worldwide
50+
Countries operated
As your groups partner, we handle the complexity – logistics, ground operations, local expertise – so you can focus on the relationship and the sale.
GROUP TRAVEL OPTIONS SCHEDULED GROUPS
CUSTOM GROUPS
SMALL GROUPS
EXCLUSIVE GROUPS
RIVER GROUPS
Best For
Key Advantage
Clients who want
600+ worldwide turnkey
structure with full
itineraries with space
group benefits
allocation starting at 9+
Clients with specific
Total flexibility –
themes, interests or
we design the experience
itinerary needs
from scratch
Immersive travel for a max of 18 or 24 guests
Clients wanting a fully private experience
Deeper local connection and discovery across 60+ itineraries
Buy out a scheduled or small group departure for a private experience
Clients seeking
Boutique ships,
premium river cruise
cabin allocation
experiences
and charter potential
SALES TIP: THE EARLIER, THE BETTER. Scheduled and Small Groups can be booked closer in. Early movers typically find better availability and pricing.
GROUPS AGENT GUIDE
Custom and River Groups work best with 12–18 months lead time, while
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SCHEDULED GROUPS WHAT IS A SCHEDULED GROUP? With 600+ trips worldwide, creating a Scheduled Group could be as simple as selecting an existing itinerary and blocking the seats you need. It’s a turnkey solution with proven routes, guaranteed departures, and all the benefits of group pricing built in.
BENEFITS OF SCHEDULED GROUPS: Stackable savings Group benefits stackable with any in-market offers (individual terms must be met).
Locked pricing Tour pricing secured at current published rate for the seats held at time of reservation.
Flexible group benefits Take advantage of group discounts, free seats and in-market offers where applicable.1 •
Ready-to-go itineraries so all you have to do is sell
•
Instant Space Confirmation
TIMING IS EVERYTHING The most popular departures fill quickly at launch. Advisors who act early – or during pre-release windows – consistently secure better availability and pricing for their groups.
GROUP DISCOUNTS & COMMISSIONS Group Size
Group Benefit
9–14 Paying Guests
5% Group Discount or 10th Guest at 50% Off¹
15–22 Paying Guests
5% Group Discount or 16th Guest FOC (Twin Share)¹
30 Paying Guests
2 Free Spaces1
Combinable with most standard brochure discounts and in-market promotions. Some exceptions/restrictions apply.
Min. group size
9 guests
Group deposit
$5001 refundable
Hold period
Space held while you sell – time to build your numbers
GROUPS AGENT GUIDE GROUPS AGENT GUIDE
FAST FACTS
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CUSTOM GROUPS WHAT IS A CUSTOM GROUP? If you’re looking for a tailored experience for a group of 15 or more guests, our Group Specialists can create a custom itinerary to satisfy every need, preference, interest and budget. As your custom Groups Specialist, we combine the operational expertise of a DMC with the brand trust of a world-leading travel company.
BENEFITS OF CUSTOM GROUPS: Flexible departure dates Departure dates are set by you. No fixed calendar constraints.
Tailormade itineraries Day-to-day itinerary is built around the group’s interests, pace and preferences.
Budget control Inclusions can be scaled to match the group’s budget and expectations.
OUR EXPERTISE With the operational expertise of a DMC, the supplier relationships of a company that has moved travelers for over 100 years, and brand trust your clients already recognize. When you bring us a request, you’re backed by decades of knowing how to make travel work – everywhere, for everyone.
Min. group size
15 paying guests
Min. duration
4 nights
Group deposit
$5001 refundable
Ideal planning window
12+ months before departure; 18 months for more complex trips
EXPERIENCE EXAMPLES
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Here are some themes and itinerary focuses we’ve
•
Bespoke itinerary design from scratch
helped to craft over the years:
•
Private transport and transfers throughout
•
Food, wine and culinary journeys
•
Hand-picked accommodation at every level
•
Military monuments and battlefield tours
•
Exclusive dining and local experiences
•
Religious, spiritual and pilgrimage travel
•
Expert local guides and specialists
•
Arts, history and cultural discovery
•
Full ground operations management
•
Wellness and yoga retreats
•
Dedicated Groups contact throughout
•
Incentive and corporate travel
•
Travel Director throughout
•
Social clubs and special interest groups
•
Celebration and milestone travel
•
Sporting groups and stadium tours
•
School and educational groups
•
Gardening, nature and wildlife tours
GROUPS AGENT GUIDE
FAST FACTS
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SMALL GROUPS WHAT IS A SMALL GROUP? Smaller group sizes open the door to extraordinary experiences, from tucked-away neighborhoods and local restaurants to family-run wineries, artisan workshops and cultural traditions passed down through generations. From Borneo to Bilbao and Kenya to Costa Rica, our Small Group Tours are designed to uncover the hidden gems, local perspectives and authentic experiences that bring each destination to life.
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18-24
$500
Minimum guests
Maximum guests per departure^
Refundable group deposit to secure place
Dependent on itinerary.
^
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WHO IS THE SMALL GROUPS CLIENT? Think beyond your typical group traveler. Small Groups are a great fit for clients who’ve ruled out group tours because they picture large coaches and crowds. With a maximum of 18-24 guests, they offer a more connected way to explore.
EXCLUSIVE SMALL GROUPS SCHEDULED SMALL GROUPS •
Existing public departure
•
Minimum seats: 9
•
Deposit: $500 refundable deposit1
•
Speculative seats: Max 10 per departure
•
Additional seats: Available once 10 are sold
•
150 days out: Release unsold seats
•
120 or 90 days* out: Final payment due
•
Private departure
•
Minimum seats: 15 (Trafalgar/Costsaver) | 18 (Insight Vacations)
VS.
•
Deposit: $1,000 non-refundable1
•
180 days out: Release all unsold seats
•
120 or 90 days* out: Final payment due
Dependent on itinerary.
^
Dependent on itinerary.
^
Min. group size
9 guests
Max. group size
18-24 guests per departure
Group deposit
$5001 refundable
Speculative hold
Maximum 10 seats per departure; more available once 10 seats are sold
Discount Option A
5% small group discount for everyone in the group1
Discount Option B
10th guest travels at 50% off twin share 1
Discount Option C
18th guest travels at 100% off twin share1
Combinability
Combinable with in-market discounts
GROUPS AGENT GUIDE
FAST FACTS: SCHEDULED SMALL GROUPS
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RIVER GROUPS
THE MARKET OPPORTUNITY Global river cruise market on track to triple in size by 2035.
River cruising represents one of the most
Source: Grand View Research / MRFR, 2025
exciting growth opportunities in the Trafalgar portfolio. With boutique ships, exceptional itineraries and a growing groups policy, river
River cruising is growing faster than
cruise groups offer Travel Advisors a premium
ocean cruising – the fastest segment
product with strong commercial upside.
in the entire cruise industry. Source: Grand View Research, 2025
SALES TIP: SELL CONFIDENTLY Locking in a soft allocation gives you something real to show clients – actual dates, actual ships, actual pricing. Advisors who lead with specific availability convert at higher rates than those who sell in the abstract.
Group Policy: The Essentials What counts as a group?
Contact your Trafalgar River Groups Specialist for current minimums.
Recommended lead time
As early as possible – 12–18 months ideal; earlier is always better.
Complimentary places
1 free twin share per 7 or 9 paying guests (tier-based – confirm with specialist).1
Group Discount
$150 per person group discount combinable with in market offers.
Group Amenity Points
GAP Points awarded to group bookings, redeemable as outlined by your specialist.
SOFT ALLOCATION
HARD ALLOCATION
No financial commitment required. Price is
Deposit of $500 USD1 per cabin required.
held at the time you accept the quotation
Fully refundable up to 12 months prior. Price
based on the cabin category requested.
held once deposit received; cabin space is exclusively blocked.
availability when individual guests deposit.
Unsold cabins must be released 12 months
Per person deposit: $350.
prior. Suites cannot be held.
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GROUPS AGENT GUIDE
Space is not exclusively blocked – subject to
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DISCOUNTS & INCENTIVES One of your most powerful tools for groups is the ability to stack multiple offers – creating a value story that’s hard for clients to walk away from.
Stackable Offers Examples:
Applied automatically when group minimums are met
Group Discount
(either 5% OR FOC places1).
Loyalty / Repeat Traveler
Additional savings for returning guests in the group.
INCENTIVE WINDOWS
COMPLIMENTARY PLACES
Throughout the year, we run time-limited
Groups that meet qualifying size thresholds
incentive campaigns specifically for
earn complimentary places – which you
group bookings. These can include bonus
can use to reduce the per-person cost,
commission, enhanced group benefits or
offer as added value, or use yourself as the
additional client savings. Make sure you’re
accompanying advisor. At 15 paying guests:
receiving advisor communications so you
1 FOC twin share. At 30 paying guests: 2 FOC
never miss a window.
twin share places.^ ^Not combinable with group discount. Not applicable on customs, small group or river.
SALES TIP: GAME CHANGING STACKED DISCOUNTS When you present a client with a total saving that combines three or four layers, the value proposition becomes almost irresistible. Always present the cumulative saving – not individual discounts – for maximum impact.
Some departures may require approval before group space is confirmed. Additional terms and conditions apply. Please consult your Groups Specialist for full program details.
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FAQS What’s the minimum group size? Varies by product. Scheduled: 9 Full Paying Guests. Custom: 15 guests (10 rooms in some destinations). Small Groups: 9 guests (max 18 or 24 depending on itinerary). River: 4 cabins or 8 guests. Exclusives on Scheduled: minimums depend on tour. Exclusives on Small Groups: 15 guests for Trafalgar and Costsaver, 18 guests for Insight Vacations. What happens after I submit an enquiry? Your Groups Specialist responds within 1–2 business days to review your request and discuss the next steps. Are discounts combinable? Most group discounts are combinable with standard brochure discounts and in-market promotions. Terms and conditions of in-market offers must be met. Some exceptions apply – always confirm with your specialist. Do you provide marketing resources?
GROUPS AGENT GUIDE
Yes. We will provide you with a consumer-facing landing page and flyer to help promote your group.
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CONTACT US TODAY scheduled@ttc.com | custom@ttc.com | rivergroups@ttc.com Agents.TTC.com
BRENDAN VACATIONS