How to Organize Group Travel for Fun and Profit: The Complete Group Tour Leaders Manual [Paperback]

Carl Meadows (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2002

How to Organize Group Travel for Fun and Profit is the first book published to address the emerging travel explosion that is going to take place during the next decade. This “explosion,” will be driven by the 75 million Baby Boomers who are retired or semi-retired, and whose desire to travel the world is very high on their list of priorities. In addition to the book’s extensive travel industry reference section, it explains how to become a qualified group travel leader and start your own home-based travel club, which travel organizations to join and publications to subscribe, how to negotiate with travel suppliers, and best of all, how to travel for free as a hobby or as a part-time or full-time business. Travel opportunities are boundless for anyone, young adults and seniors alike, who have a desire to travel for fun or profit.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Even though I have been in the tour business for four years, this book gave me information and business contacts... -- Debra Asberry, Founder, Women Traveling Together

I just wish I would have had this information when I first got started in the group travel business! -- Donna Robbins - Donna's Personalized Travel

This is a "MUST READ" book for anyone wanting independence in the group travel or outside travel sales business. -- Gary Fee, President - Outside Sales Support Network--OSSN

About the Author

Carl Meadows is an acknowledged expert in several areas of the travel industry. Starting in the travel business in 1970 as an outside sales representative for a local Kansas City travel agency, Carl went on to become Director of Group Sales for one of the largest franchise travel agencies in the USA. During his career, Carl has owned and operated successful travel agencies, produced international conferences and tradeshows, and was Executive Director of a major law enforcement association. Since 1984, Carl and his wife Anne, have owned and operated ETC Services, Inc., a group travel company specializing in international travel, conference and convention meeting planning, and corporate incentive travel. Carl is also a consultant to group travel leaders. Currently, Carl and Anne are happy, healthy, and living in Littleton, Colorado.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Etc Pub Inc; 2nd Rev edition (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967038006
• ISBN-13: 978-0967038001
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #384,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A lot of fluff, May 26, 2001

By 

Sam Vikers (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Organize Group Travel for Fun and Profit: The Complete Group Tour Leaders Manual (Paperback)

Half the book is comprised of lists of airlines, car rentals, hotels, tour operators, tourism offices, etc. Perhaps useful, but that information is available elsewhere. I didn't view these lists as essential to running a group tour business. I'm not sure how accurate all of the information is; for example, he spends quite some time talking about GLAMER, the Group Leaders of America, yet doesn't mention that this group is for senior travel only. He also says that GLAMER membership is free (implying to anyone), yet the GLAMER site requires that you have already organized a group tour before being qualified to join.

His model is a realtively narrow one, assuming that you will draw your clientele from the same geographic region, your club, church, etc. I would have liked to have seen other examples of tour groups, e.g., cultural or arts tours drawing clientele from all over the country or world.

An easy read; I was through the book in a couple of hours.

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carl Meadows is THE authority on group travel!, June 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Organize Group Travel for Fun and Profit: The Complete Group Tour Leaders Manual (Paperback)

I've been planning group trips for years with my church. I purchased Carl's book and have planned three trips since- one with church, one with my son's high school team and one in my youngest sons scout troop. The book was easy to read and VERY informative. A must for anyone planning even one group trip, a real lifesaver!