Best Travel Clubs
Travel clubs are a popular means of booking travel arrangements without actually doing all the legwork yourself. Belonging to a club might also be a good idea for individuals with handicaps or certain interests or conditions to which the club caters. Travel clubs come in a variety of sizes and with a host of different possible itineraries, but the best travel clubs have a few things in common. Read on to find out how to locate one of them.
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Size
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The best travel clubs have a sizable membership roster. This allows the club management to negotiate significant discounts with resorts, hotels and also attractions; while the venue owner loses money on admission and room charges, he does stand to gain a significant increase in consumer numbers.
Convenience
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The length of time a travel club has been in business determines the kinds of contacts it has within the travel industry. The best travel clubs are in business long enough to have a far-reaching network of working relationships with vendors. This makes your travel enjoyment just a bit simpler and more convenient. While newer clubs might be able to book your flight, lease your car and see you safely booked into a nice hotel, the more established travel clubs additionally set you up on a sightseeing tour, contract with a docent at a museum, make dinner reservations at a sought-after nightclub and even arrange for a romantic carriage ride for two. These little extras set a great travel club apart from a good one.
Benefits for LGBT and Single Travelers
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Travelers who like to meet up with like-minded singles find that the best travel clubs are geared toward their marital status. For single men and women these are the kinds of travel clubs that host group trips, social mixers, and rent out resorts just for the use of their members; the same holds true for LGBT travelers. The most famous LGBT travel club is Ski Bums (a link is placed in the resources section) that caters to skiers and snow boarders. A singles travel club that specifically states it does not operate a dating service---but acknowledges that weddings have come out of their trips---is the Travel Buddies Singles Travel Club (a link is posted in the resources).
Considerations
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Members of specialized organizations find that the best travel clubs for them come out of that very organization. For example, Tall Clubs International (a link is posted in the Resources section) started out mainly as a social club to allow people of above average height feel normal and accepted. Since its inception it has grown to have satellite clubs all over the world and also a travel club. Although many of the outings are still weekend trips, travelers appreciate that they do not have to face the height limitations they endure when traveling by themselves or with other clubs.
Warning
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Travel arrangements are always subject to changing market conditions and even airline bankruptcies. As a savvy traveler, you still need to protect yourself against losses, canceled flights, lost luggage and all the other eventualities that could occur when traveling. Do not assume that a travel club will do it for you, unless they expressly take on the responsibility in your contract.
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- Photo Credit David Ingham/Wikimedia Commons
