How to Become a Group Travel Organizer

Group travel organizers plan trips for groups such as athletic teams, churches and schools. Group travel organizers choose the destination and theme of a group trip, make reservations and organize all the details. To be an efficient group travel organizer, you should be a people person and an effective time manager.

Instructions

1

Participate in group travel. The best way to learn is by doing. Take a trip with your school or church. Go on group travel tours with companies such as the Adventures Abroad Group and Trek America that specialize in adventure travel for groups.

2

Learn about travel. Take travel-related courses online or at a community college. For example, Ashworth College offers a travel agent program and Penn Foster Career School offers an online travel and tourism specialist program.

3

Work for a group travel company or travel agency that has a group travel division. You will gain experience planning itineraries, booking airfare and reserving cars for groups.

4

Plan a group trip. Volunteer to plan trips for your church, school or any other group that you belong to. Organize group travel for your family and friends and groups to which they belong.

5

Join a professional group travel organization. Once you have gained experience as a group travel organizer, join professional organizations such as GO for networking and membership benefits. According to GO, "membership is available to any person or organization that plans group travel for a travel club, bank, senior center, religious, community or affinity group." Another benefit to joining a professional organization is that you can enhance your professionalism by becoming certified as a group travel organizer. The Association of Group Travel Organizers International offers certification for group travel organizers.