I'd Like To Run Trips; Where Do I Start?

[Scuba Diver Dean]

Hello everyone –

I'm an independent scuba instructor and I have quite a following of friends, former students, etc. and I would like to offer and lead a few trips a year to destinations like Hawaii, Mexico, etc. I'm just not sure how to get started and I would like some advice regarding booking and planning travel.

I see most local dive shops charge a fee that includes lodging, airport transfers, and the dive boat charter, and people will arrange their own airfare (so they can use their own miles, fly from their preferred airport, etc.) which makes sense. My questions are:

1. Do I find a hotel at the destination and reserve a certain number of rooms in advance? If I want to plan for 12 divers, do I have to pay for 12 rooms in advance and only sell that many slots? What happens if I only sell 10 rooms worth, or if most are couples who share a room?

2. For the dive charter, do I tell them I am bringing 12 divers in August and reserve that space now so they save space for us? Will I need to pay for all in advance, or make a deposit?

I am an instructor and pretty good with people, so I'm glad to help people with any issues as they come up. I just need to know some of these logistics and how everybody else does it with trips.

Any help or advice is appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Doc]

Your questions relate directly to "cancellation policy" portions of the contract. Most operations will hold X number of spaces with a deposit until a set date before reservation. It's up to you to negotiate that date and the totality of refund of that deposit amount.

Where many new leaders get in trouble us that they take monetary risks on behalf of the promises of that loyal group of followers. Extend yourself only as far as their deposits allow, only as far as the refund policy has you covered.

Trip Leaders do add fees to trips for leading them, but remember there should be a "comp" program offered by the property that will allow for 1 freebie package for every X "pax" (passengers/participants).

This is a tough sell. In past times, individuals and couples needed guidance by someone who knew the resort, dive op, and sometimes navigating the difficult connections required. With the Internet, everybody has a lot of information at the ready. Most dive ops and resorts used to maintain US Offices to handle their booking and promotion. Most have gone "direct" to consumer, so they have cut out that broker/consolidator from their 15 to 30% commission. This is where you can get some financial incentive by buying in bulk, Most sellers will work with you.

You don't have to go to DEMA to arrange these, but dealing with them at local retail SCUBA shows works. Also, contact the resorts at DEMA time and see what their specific promo is.

To make your trip present value, to make it pay for your trip and a bit of your headaches (you are herding cats...it's simply amazing what your participants will have issues with...from last minute passport problems, fighting with each other, drinking and mating issues, injuries on the trip, lost luggage, broken gear...you're the guy who is going to get the problem), you're going to have to test their perception of your value as an instructor. You may do well if you offer this or that certification at your net cost.

It's also a great vehicle for doing the open water portions of certifications after completing confined (pool) sessions, esp in winter months at 40*N Latitude. These are often pre-sold as complete packages in advance.

Nobody ever gets rich doing this level of outings, very few make money, but if you can keep the circus rolling... No small task... You can do a bit of traveling for cheap.

 

[drrich2]

"...and I would like to offer and lead a few trips a year to destinations like Hawaii, Mexico, etc."

It might be worth taking a closer look at that, in light of Doc.'s post. To 'go deeper,' answer the question 'Why?' Why would you like to do this? Is it to...

1.) Spend time with friends?
2.) Get a free resort package by bringing a group?
3.) Make money teaching courses such as nitrox, AOW, Deep Diver, etc...to some going with you?
4.) Do you want to reduce your trip cost, break even or turn a profit from these trips?
5.) Do you anticipate being '1st amongst equals' once at the destination, or are you cool with most of the group following you around like ducklings after Mamma Duck, looking to be led?

Next, what do you add to the trip? In other words, why should they go with you?

My 1st 4 trips to Bonaire, I went with my old instructor & his group. That was worthwhile; Bonaire shore diving involves driving in a strange place with foreign signs. Takes awhile to get the lay of the land, and how to approach things.

But when I went to dive Belize via live-aboard, all I had to do was show up at the airport and they got me to & from. Last afternoon, I ate at a restaurant walking distance from the boat. No need for a leader. Once I'd traveled a bit, I didn't need a group leader for Key Largo, Jupiter (Florida) or Morehead City, N.C., either.

If I were planning a long-distance trip to a very foreign place, like Komodo, Palau, etc..., with a # of flight transfers, I'd probably aim to use a scuba travel agency (e.g.: Caradona, Maduro).

We see from the Scuba Board Invasion and Surge events that some seasoned traveling divers like to join a known group in part for the social dynamics. That's different from an OW instructor using checkout dives in attractive tropical locations to bring in more business, or somebody mostly taking newbies on their 1st trips, till they get seasoned enough to leave the nest.

Richard.

 

[chillyinCanada]

There are serious advantages to traveling with a group. This hasn't been my usual practice. That said, in the past year or so, I've had a few opportunities arise to book in a group and that gives strength in numbers. When I travel alone, I'm often at the mercy of where the boat owner is willing to take me. On the group trips, we had the whole boat and the owner/operator worked in conjunction with us as to sites. Further, each time, we had the senior crew. These are serious advantages to me as a diver, that I'd simply been unaware of or unappreciative of in the past.

I don't plan to give up my independent dive travel but I'll be mixing it up in the future.

 

[charlier]

I am with chilly here. When diving with my wife, we are often at the mercy of the boat captain or divemaster(s) that have to make sure that each group is accommodated. In contrast, small group trip/charter to Tubbataha, we had the ability to choose almost all of the dive sites. The only exception is Alor - here we are mostly able choose the dives site, depending on conditions and tides. charlie

 

[KenGordon]

This is hard work, especially if you have not previously visited the destination. I suggest starting small and gradually increasing the size of group. The biggest problem I find is being sure of numbers. That, along with exchange rate changes, can make a huge difference to the costs.

 

[BDSC]

First off there is a wholesale dive travel service right in your area that could help you with this. They are called Scuba Travel Ventures. They are great to work with and I book much of my group travel through them. Give them a call as they have been in the dive travel business for many years.

Let me tell you how I started out. Several years ago my wife and I and two other couples decided to go to a resort in Belize. At that time we booked the trip on our own. While there we met another couple we really liked and so they asked the next time we went somewhere to let them know, we did, and they went. Through them we met a few more people and so on and so on. Soon 6 people became 10 people that became 16 people until today we have approximately 50 folks on our list that travel together. Of course not everyone goes on every trip but we have a strong base to draw from. Several of those folks have come from ScubaBoard.

What I found out very quickly was there is strength in numbers. In the days of old the free spots/commissions/group discounts were reserved solely for brick and mortar dive shops. With only a few exceptions, that has changed dramatically. When you call a resort or liveaboard and tell them you want to bring 10, 12, or even 20 or more folks, you have their attention and most will now offer you those same savings and incentives. Now it's what you do with those discounts that can make a big difference in filling your trips.

Here's what I do. I take those savings and I discount the price for everyone. That savings can range from a couple of hundred on a land based resort to over $1000 for some liveaboards. I realize what I do is not the norm because I pay to go on these trips just like everyone else. I don't get a free ride even though I pretty much do the legwork to get the trips started. I do this because over the years, the people I have met I consider my friends, some are my very close friends, and I don't feel right asking them to pay more so I can go for free. I have a fulltime job that pays me well and I can afford to pay my own way. Do I get any benefits at all? Yep. When I book a liveaboard I take the liberty of getting the first room choice or sometimes I'll get free nitrox from the resort or liveaboard. So I do get a few small perks now and then even though I never ask for them.

Quick example of a typical trip where we all save. I booked the entire Caribbean Explorer II going to Saba/St. Kitts in June. The usual price for that trip is now $2095 I believe. We are all going for $1400 each. Hard to beat that deal.

Now there is nothing wrong at all with someone leading a trip to take a free spot for themselves. Nothing at all. It's just not my way of doing things. Yes I put in some time and effort but my reward is diving with my friends and everyone having a great time. Perhaps my biggest reward is I have resorts/liveaboards offer me FAM trips to come and check out their resorts/boats in hope I will bring a group. I have been on a couple but I am very careful with that as I won't take a free or discounted trips just to get a deal. I'll only take them up on their offer if I have a genuine interest in bringing a group to that area.

Read Docs post and then read it again. He has excellent advice about what to look out for when pricing trips and such. Never leave yourself hanging out there.

If you are really a people person that folks genuinely like to be around and you find the right mix of folks to go on trips with you, you'll do OK at this. Especially if you can offer them some really sweet deals that they can't get on their own.

 

[BDSC]

Perhaps I should answer your questions more directly.

1. Yes. Decide where you want to go, check out the resorts, and then reserve rooms. Typically if you want to bring 12 divers you would reserve 6 rooms as price is generally given as a double occupancy price. If a person wants their own room it's typically an upcharge for that. Maybe 50% more than the single rate. Typically you will have a date to turn in all unsold rooms without a penalty. Make sure you keep up with that date.

2. You will typically be asked to put down some type of deposit per room for a land based trip. It seems a lot of the places I have booked it will be in the $100 - $200 range. If you don't sell all your rooms and you turn them back in before the deadline, they usually apply the deposit for that unsold room to your overall trip price so you don't lose that money.

Ken is right when he says start small to get your feet wet in leading groups. Caribbean destinations are pretty easy trips to plan. Actually, with you being on the west coast, you can probably fly direct to Fiji quicker than you could get to some Caribbean areas because you go can non-stop from LAX, and who doesn't want to go to Fiji!

 

[Mia Toose]

Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Diving has some cool deals that benefit groups of friends diving together. Similar to the concept that BDSC does. From the website:

Small Group Terms – Pay for 5, get 1 free!

We have a generous free berth policy which is great for small groups traveling on the same week – gather your friends, family and dive buddies and join us for some great diving at an even better price! Receive 1 free spot with every 5 paid – and it applies to all of our destinations (maximum of 2 free spots per charter). That means 6 of you could be diving the Saba/St. Kitts itinerary for 8 days and 7 nights for less than $1,700 each if you share the value of the free space.
Explorer Ventures Specials - Small Group Rewards