PR Newswire (March 23, 2006)
SEATTLE – Have you recently traveled with friends or family? Perhaps you were part of a "Girls Spa Getaway" or a weekend of golf with the guys. Were you part of a "destination wedding" where you traveled for the festivities?
If so, you are part of a growing travel trend where groups of friends and/or extended family take a trip together.
Enter TripHub, which was established by ecommerce and software experts with more than 30 years experience at companies such as Expedia and Microsoft.
TripHub's free online service makes it easy to invite guests, track who's coming, research and discuss hotel options, and share itineraries from any source or supplier. You can even track who owes money.
These services are not provided by popular sites like Travelocity and Orbitz which focus on individuals and generally do not meet the needs of people traveling in groups.
More of Us Taking Trips with Friends and Family
According to a Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell poll, almost 80% of active leisure travelers took at least one vacation with extended family or friends in the past five years, and the trend is growing.
A great example of group travel is family reunions. According to the Travel Industry Association, 34% of U.S. adults traveled to a family reunion in the past three years. This translates into nearly 72 million U.S. adults.
Making Group Travel Easy and Fun
Becoming the trip organizer can feel like "drawing the short straw." Deciding where and when to go, then agreeing where to stay can be tricky. Plus, collecting money from everyone can be awkward.
"Our goal is to make group planning as fun as the trip itself," says Josh Herst, CEO and founder of TripHub. "After all, travel is about deepening relationships and enriching lives -- not simply about buying hotel rooms and airline tickets," Herst adds.
"We're on the verge of a revolution in group travel," says Jeff Gayduk, Publisher of Leisure Group Travel. "TripHub recognizes the changing dynamics of group travel and is helping lead the industry by providing services that meet the unique needs of families and friends who travel together," says Gayduk.
