Vietnam Group Trip: Why Millennials and Gen Z are paying to journey with strangers

“It’s amazing to be with so many solo travellers, but it’s also a little sad that we are all kind of lonely,” mentioned Rupa, who selected Vietnam for her first solo journey however signed up for a bunch tour to keep away from travelling utterly alone.

Her thought captures a rising pattern amongst millennials and Gen Z: travelling solo, however not alone. At first look, it might appear to be persons are paying to journey with strangers. But the pattern displays one thing deeper.

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Community journey, curated group journeys the place strangers discover locations collectively, is quick turning into a scorching pattern amongst younger travellers. While group excursions have been as soon as related largely with aged pilgrims, Millennials and Gen Z are actually embracing them for companionship, comfort and shared experiences.

Companies equivalent to WanderOn, Thrillophilia, Tripoto and a number of other others have tapped into this demand by organising curated group experiences designed particularly for younger travellers.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY TRAVEL?

To perceive the enchantment, I joined one such journey myself. The day often begins with an early breakfast on the lodge earlier than everybody piles right into a bus for sightseeing, spontaneous photograph stops and lengthy street journeys the place conversations drift from awkward introductions to straightforward laughter.

The format is straightforward. You join with an organization for a visit to a vacation spot of your selection. Other travellers, usually solo, be a part of the identical itinerary, and the group goes on the journey collectively.

The firm handles logistics equivalent to flights, lodging, visas and sightseeing. Most journeys even have a “trip captain” who accompanies the group and manages the itinerary, whereas native guides supply deeper insights into the vacation spot.

For many travellers, the largest draw is straightforward: the prospect to discover new locations whereas being surrounded by like-minded individuals. The expertise usually encourages conversations, shared actions and spontaneous friendships that won’t occur throughout standard tourism.

Rohit Shroff, CEO and co-founder of journey planning platform Holidify, mentioned it’s the fastest-growing section.

“Group tours are one of the fastest-growing segments within tour packages right now. On Holidify, we’ve seen group travel queries grow by about 23% on average over the last 2–3 years, which shows the increasing interest in this format,” he mentioned.

WHY YOUNG TRAVELLERS ARE CHOOSING GROUP TOURS

A key issue behind the rise of group journey is the way in which fashionable city life has quietly reshaped friendships. Many younger professionals transfer cities for work or schooling, forsaking acquainted social circles. Over time, journey plans that after revolved round shut buddies develop into more durable to organise, pushing many individuals to search for new methods to discover the world.

Rohit Shroff, who has spent over 13 years within the journey trade, says the rising recognition of group excursions amongst youthful travellers is pushed by comfort, affordability and the prospect to satisfy new individuals.

“Group tours have become much more popular with younger travellers. They’re cheaper and much easier — you can just join a trip instead of planning everything yourself. Also, finding the right people to travel with is often hard. Group tours solve that, and you end up meeting new, like-minded people along the way,” he mentioned.

WanderOn co-founder Govind Gaur believes the enchantment lies in real-world connections at a time when digital interactions dominate.

“We are an anti-AI company. We take people away from AI and closer to humans and real experiences. At a time when people are getting used to chatting with ChatGPT, we are offering a sense of social belonging.”

The pattern gained momentum after the pandemic, when many younger individuals started prioritising experiences and social connections over conventional vacation packages.

Manuraj Singh Johar, founding father of Voyalys and a journey trade veteran with 18 years of expertise, mentioned youthful travellers at this time place higher worth on experiences than on bills.

“Millennials and Gen Z today are far less budget-conscious than they were earlier and are increasingly prioritising experiences over price. Many are willing to spend more on immersive travel—from staying at experiential luxury hotels to accessing curated experiences in destinations like Kenya, Norway, and Japan. Small, curated group journeys allow them to access these premium experiences while also connecting with like-minded travellers,” he mentioned.

Convenience is one other main attraction. Hina, who joined the WanderOn group tour to Vietnam from Noida, mentioned she needed to be free from any stress.

“I gave them the money and they did everything. From flights and visas to hotels and sightseeing, everything is taken care of. I just have to get ready and go. Such a relaxing trip,” she mentioned.

Cost additionally performs a task. Shared lodging and group bookings usually make these journeys cheaper than planning the identical itinerary independently.

“When you travel in a group, a lot of costs get shared — transport, guides, local logistics. Accommodation is often shared as well. So if you’re travelling solo, joining a group can make the trip significantly cheaper,” mentioned Rohit Shroff.

WHY TRAVELLING WITH STRANGERS WORKS?

Whether somebody is introverted or outgoing, group journey provides a straightforward strategy to meet individuals. Shared lodging, group actions and lengthy journeys collectively usually result in conversations that flip strangers into buddies. For many travellers, the expertise feels much less transactional than conventional tourism

“This was the first time in my life that I tried adventure rides and even got on a roller coaster at VinWonders. I would never have done it if the others on the trip had not encouraged me. They made the whole experience so much more fun,” mentioned Rupa.

For many millennials of their late 20s and 30s, this stage of life usually brings a delicate shift in friendships. People transfer cities for work, get married, migrate overseas or develop into busy with household duties. The once-reliable circle of journey companions slowly disappears, leaving many with the need to discover the world however nobody to journey with.

For such individuals, group journeys have emerged as a handy center floor, permitting individuals to journey independently whereas nonetheless having firm.

“All my friends are either married or settled in different places. For the few who still live nearby, our schedules never match. So, community trips are the best choice for me,” mentioned Pranjal, who joined the group from Mumbai.

“I don’t have friends and this was my first ever solo trip in a group,” mentioned Hina, who joined the tour from Noida. “I was hesitant in the beginning, but I’m glad I did it. I found two girls who feel like my soul sisters and everything was so well managed.”

Medha, who shaped a particular bond with fellow traveller Hina on the journey, mentioned she by no means anticipated she would discover such good buddies.

“We lived in the same city but didn’t know each other until we met on this trip. This was my second group tour and the best trip of my life because of the two friends I made. I share everything with them now,” she mentioned.

Safety is commonly a significant factor, significantly for girls travelling internationally. Travelling in a bunch additionally provides a security internet. If somebody falls sick or runs into hassle, there are all the time others round to assist.

“All my friends are settled abroad, so there’s no one to travel with,” mentioned Rupa. “This is my first solo trip and I felt community travel would be safer.”

For others, the unpredictability of travelling with strangers is a part of the appeal. Varsha, a Delhi resident on her fourth such journey, says the expertise turns into addictive.

“Once you travel solo in a group, you don’t want to travel any other way,” she mentioned. “Every trip brings new people and new experiences. When you travel with friends, sometimes you have to deal with the same dynamics and tantrums. But with strangers, there’s a certain freedom. You don’t feel pressured to please anyone.”

Not each connection turns right into a lifelong friendship, she added, and that’s completely effective.

“Some friendships start on the trip and end there. And that’s okay.”

Sometimes, nevertheless, these connections do final. Ashawari, who travelled with three buddies on the present journey, mentioned they’d all met throughout one such group tour just a few years in the past.

“We met on a Ladakh trip and became very good friends,” she mentioned. “We didn’t meet again for a long time but stayed in touch on Instagram. Finally, we decided to plan this trip together.”

IS IT ALWAYS SO GREAT?

Not actually. Community journey is just not with out its challenges. Fixed itineraries can restrict spontaneity, and group dynamics do not all the time work easily. Some travellers say the expertise relies upon closely on the combination of individuals within the group. Large teams, tightly packed itineraries and mismatched personalities can typically make the journey really feel much less like a group and extra like a crowd.

Dharmendra from Ranchi, who had taken two such journeys earlier, mentioned he had a disappointing expertise prior to now.

“My Thailand trip was horrible,” he mentioned. “There were around 40 people in the group and everything felt chaotic. Very few people could bond and I ended up feeling bored and left out. It also wasn’t managed very well because the group was too big.”

However, he mentioned the potential of assembly new individuals, even briefly, makes the expertise worthwhile. So, he took one other likelihood, however with a distinct journey firm this time.

MATCHMAKING ON THE MOVE

For some travellers, the connections shaped throughout these journeys transcend friendships. Interestingly, a number of have even discovered life companions alongside the way in which, regardless of by no means setting out with that intention.

According to WanderOn, greater than 104 {couples} who first met throughout their journeys finally went on to develop into life companions.

“At a time when dating apps have become exhausting and finding a partner feels increasingly difficult, these trips often help people connect with like-minded individuals,” mentioned Govind Gaur.

Riya, who met her companion on a Europe group journey, mentioned she had grown uninterested in courting apps and assembly organized matches the place nothing appeared to click on.

“We are so stressed in our day-to-day lives that we rarely get to be our real selves. But during the trip, we laughed more, shared real experiences, explored new places together and had conversations without any pressure. You get to be more relaxed and authentic, and that makes it easier to connect with someone,” she mentioned.

Some journey firms have even began providing group journeys designed particularly round matchmaking. As courting apps, as soon as seen as the simplest strategy to meet individuals, slowly lose their appeal, such journeys supply a extra natural method for connections to type.

THE BUSINESS BEHIND THE TREND

As the recognition of group journey grows, firms organising these journeys are constructing a brand new section inside the journey trade. Behind the seemingly carefree expertise of group journey lies a rigorously structured ecosystem of logistics, partnerships and community-building.

For many travellers, the expertise feels virtually easy. Flights, lodging, transportation and sightseeing are organized upfront, leaving individuals free to concentrate on the journey itself. The journey strikes based on plan, often with little problem.

But WanderOn co-founder Govind Gaur says making a visit really feel seamless requires important groundwork behind the scenes.

“It takes a lot of effort to make something look and feel effortless,” he mentioned. “Behind every trip is a well-established system we’ve built over the years with trusted local guides and operators. That network allows us to deliver a smooth and premium experience for travellers.”

A key a part of that system is the function of the journey captain, who acts because the bridge between travellers, native distributors and the corporate. According to Gaur, journey captains endure a compulsory three-month coaching programme earlier than main teams. The coaching focusses on logistics administration, battle decision and creating a snug setting for travellers who could also be assembly one another for the primary time.

Their efficiency can also be intently monitored.

“Their compensation depends on feedback from the previous trip,” the WanderOn co-founder mentioned. This ensures that each captain takes the accountability critically and maintains the standard of the expertise.”

LOCAL GUIDES: HUMAN POWER BANKS

Trip captains are supported by local tour guides, who help travellers fully experience and understand each destination. From briefing groups about a site to offering safety tips and keeping spirits high, they are like human power banks, ensuring energy never runs out. Anna, a tour guide in Hanoi with a decade of experience, says she loves her job.

“I like assembly new individuals and exhibiting them one of the best of my nation,” she said. Even after long walks that left travellers tired, Anna always wore a smile and held an Indian flag high throughout the two-day trip, a gesture that showed her affection for her visitors. She sang when the bus ride got boring and laughed when the energy drained.

David, a younger tour information from Da Nang in his early twenties, mentioned his job will get repetitive typically however by no means boring.

“Sometimes I visit the Golden Bridge 6 times a week and the drill remains the same. But I enjoy what I do so it never gets boring. I can’t imagine working on a computer in a small office so this is the best job for me.”

TRIP CAPTAIN: A TRAVELLER’S DREAM JOB

The journey captains have an excellent greater function to play past merely following an itinerary. They develop into the frequent thread that holds the group collectively. From organising BYOB evenings to clicking pictures for the introverted travellers, from dancing with them on the DJ flooring to sharing ghost tales late into the night time, they’re usually extra invested in making the journey memorable than the travellers themselves.

What a job! Right? So, the one query all travellers requested was: “How can I become a trip captain?”

For travellers caught in demanding company routines, the concept of doing one thing like this for a dwelling feels virtually too good to be true. It’s a dream job.

So the query inevitably reached the one who constructed the corporate. Govind Gaur’s reply was less complicated than anticipated.

“Anyone can become a trip captain,” he mentioned.

“We have people who travelled with us four or five times, understood the drill, went through the training process and eventually joined as trip captains,” the WanderOn co-founder said.

The role does not always require a full-time commitment either. Some captains treat it as a break from their regular jobs.

“There are individuals who might not need to depart their full-time work. They merely take every week off, be a part of a visit as a captain after which return to their common routine,” he mentioned.

For many journey fans, the function seems to be like a dream job. You receives a commission to journey and form the expertise for others who’re travelling with the identical hopes of discovery and connection.

And maybe that’s the actual enchantment of group journey.

In an age the place friendships are scattered throughout cities, work calendars hardly ever align and social media has develop into an infinite scrolling marathon, these journeys supply one thing refreshingly easy. An opportunity to point out up someplace new, surrounded by strangers who’re all in search of the identical factor. Slightly journey, a little bit connection and perhaps a superb story to take again house.

Sometimes you come back with new buddies. Sometimes with a brand new companion.

Sometimes simply with just a few unforgettable reminiscences and a WhatsApp group that goes silent after the journey ends.

Either method, the system appears to work.

Because for a era that has mastered the artwork of doing every little thing alone, dwelling alone, working alone, even eating alone, group journey provides a small however comforting twist.

Somewhere between airport queues, ready for taxis and tales shared with strangers who slowly begin to really feel acquainted, the journey takes on a distinct that means.

The pictures will finally fade into telephone galleries.

The WhatsApp group might go silent.

But for just a few days in a distant metropolis, you bear in mind what it feels prefer to belong.

– Ends