Ever tried to plan a holiday for 12 people?
It's herding cats. Nobody can agree on what they want. Someone is always forgetting to pay. And don't even get started on the group chat.
Here's the problem:
Group travel has never been hotter. In fact, according to a recent poll, 47% of travellers are choosing family or multigenerational travel more than any other type of group excursion. That means tons of people scrambling to plan one hectic vacation.
The good news?
With just a little planning (and some killer all-inclusive resort packages) you can make it happen stress-free.
Ready? Time to dive in!
Planning a trip for two can be simple. Planning one for 10, 15 or even 20 can be something else entirely.
Why? Well, each additional guest means more opinions to consider. More budgets to meet. More schedules to coordinate. Grandma wants easy access to a quiet pool. The kids need a water park. Your cousin just wants access to a drink with an umbrella in it.
And when nobody is in charge... nothing gets booked.
Most group trips fail not because of bad destinations. They fail because of bad planning. Funds get awkward, rooms are divided between three different hotels and half the group is eating dinner at 10pm because no one could decide on a spot.
Sound familiar?
If there's one "cheat code" for group travel, this is it.
Vacation packages at all inclusive resorts include your room, meals, drinks and activities for one price. There's no need to divide the check each time you eat. No need to fight about who got the extra pudding. Everyone knows what it's going to cost before you leave, and that in itself eliminates half the stress.
Booking affordable all-inclusive resorts for bigger groups is really about knowing when to book, comparing and knowing exactly what you are getting before you hand over your money. If you are new to booking resorts, this handy guide on how to book a resort shows you what to look for and where you can really find value without any sneaky add-ons.
It's not just groups who are cottoning on. Travel trade insights revealed that 45% of summer bookings made in 2025 were all inclusive holidays, compared to 40% the previous year.
Here's why big groups love them:
Okay, now to the fun stuff. Do this in sequential order and your group trip will go much smoother.
Every successful group trip has one person calling the shots.
Doesn't mean they decide everything themselves. They tabulate votes, determine deadlines and book the flights. Without leadership, planning spins its wheels for months.
Choose someone organised. Then let them lead.
Money is the number one reason group trips go wrong.
Decide on a price range per person before looking at any resorts. Don't lie about it. If one family can only spend half of what another can, you're much better off knowing that before the deposit is paid.
The big advantage of all inclusive vacation packages is that they really allow you to shop with simplicity. After your group agrees on a price range, you can immediately eliminate resorts that fall outside of your budget. And since meals and drinks are included, no one experiences any unpleasant bill shock at the front desk.
Talk about money first. Pick the destination second.
Getting 15 people to agree on the same week is hard work.
Send out a quick online survey with 3 date options. Assign everyone a deadline to respond. Take whichever date gets the majority of votes, and those who cannot attend can still participate for part of the trip.
Tip: If you don't have children, avoid school holidays. Weekends during holiday weeks cost nearly twice as much, and the pools are full.
Booking early is another thing that helps. Many resorts have more rooms available (with better group rates) the farther in advance you book.
Here's something most groups forget...
Booking rooms individually means you will likely be scattered all over the property. Some of you may even be in another building entirely.
Ask the resort about group rates instead. Lots of resorts will discount your stay after you book a certain number of rooms. They will also try to keep everyone clustered together, which is great for gathering for meals.
This one is underrated.
Remember that you don't have to do everything together. Don't. Schedule one or two large group events a day ("dinner," "ride the boat") and allow individuals to do as they please.
EARLY birds can go to the beach. Night owls can sleep late. Nobody gets mad.
Even when booking an all inclusive package you will get extras. Like tours, spa experiences and airport transfers.
Have everyone download a free bill-splitting app where you can all see who paid what. It's equitable and cuts down on countless embarrassing conversations on the trip's final day.
Even well-planned trips can go sideways. Here are the mistakes to watch out for:
Avoid these four and you're already ahead of most groups.
Group vacations can be fun and organized. One strong leader, an honest budget and the perfect all inclusive deals can make planning for a large group easy.
To quickly recap:
Agree on these essentials and you'll have fewer debates over group text... and more time celebrating together as a family.
