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How to Plan a Family Reunion

So, your family has decided to go international and experience an adventure that will be talked about for generations. Now-a-days, with so many families scattered across the county and around the globe, destination family reunions are quickly becoming the best form of reuniting.

One of the most grueling, yet rewarding jobs is to become the group leader of a family reunion. The preparation and organization that is involved can seem overwhelming. But don't worry, we are here to help. Plus you, the group leader, get a HUGE benefit: A free trip!

So Contact us to get started planning!

Here's a quick list of what you can do to minimize your stress and enjoy the experience!

1. Find a neutral, yet adventure-filled location that will suit everyone. (Costa Rica for example!)
2. Send out the invitations: email (for younger family members); snail mail for those in the family who aren’t as technologically advanced. And don’t forget to telephone every one for confirmation.
3. Create a family reunion website. Once it's up and running, make sure to let everyone know (the traditional way) that it exists. Here are a few popular sites: My Great Big Family &  My Event - Family Reunion
4. Destination reunions follow similar rules of group travel. Make sure you plan for a lot of family time, like meals and other gatherings together. However, when planning activities, have options for different ages and interests. Plus, don't forget to include independent travel days throughout the trip to allow people to do some independent traveling alone or in small groups. (These trips are usually added at the end for people to do some traveling alone or with close family members). All this will be arranged by the a group travel planner.
5. Arrange plenty of group activities and games, with lots of options. Lucky for you, that's what the group travel expert does and everything is included in the final price per person. There will be no surprises or hidden costs.
6. Have a family reunion souvenir to give to everyone upon arrival: T-shirts, mugs, scrapbooks, etc...
7. Arrange meals ahead of time. Meals will be included in your package, but make sure to work with your travel agent to offer variety and to plan a shopping list and budget. For example, picnics on the beach, BBQ's in a park, or an international cuisine night. Be adventurous and enjoy the local cuisine of the country or destination you're visiting.
8. Some people like to organize theme reunions. This can be done regardless where you travel in the world. All hotels and group travel experts work with you to make sure everything is just right for you and your family.
9. Hire a photographer to get professional group photos. This is such a great bonus for the reunion. You can hire a photographer for one day and get some fun pictures of everyone!
10. Hotel arrangements should be made to house the family on the same floor(s). I highly recommend that families and individuals get their own rooms, unless they request shared accommodations. Everyone needs their own space and sanctuary.

Role of the Group Leader

1. The benefit of having a destination family reunion is that the group leader works closely with a group travel specialist (that's us at MuchaCostaRica) who does the majority of the organization and preparation. So the group leader's role would mainly be to communicate the family's desires to the agent.
2. The most important role of the leader is to collect the funds and pay for the entire family. This way after the family arrives, all the financing is taken care of. Insider Tip: If you make your reservations early, you may be able to receive discounts. The earlier book, the bigger the discounts.
3. Being a group leader means lots of perks. For one, making a group travel package means big discounts for the family! Plus, the group leader gets to enjoy the trip free of charge in the destination country, airfare not included.

Suggested Items to Bring:

1. Video Camera
   
2. Interesting memorabilia to share with the family
3. Family home videos
4. Photo albums of past reunions or special events that took place for everyone to share
5. Games for the family to play together

Family reunions build friendships and relationships that will last a life time. We are ready to help you plan your family reunion. Let's get started!

How to get in touch with us?

• Contact us now by filling out our contact form
  
• Send us an email
• Chat with us on Yahoo IM, we are muchacostarica
• Call us! Our stateside phone number is 757-644-5611, feel free to call us anytime from 8am - 5pm EST, Monday - Saturday. 

Remember...

We've truly been there and done that and can't wait to help you do the same.

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