Travel Tips

TrovaTrip Review: My Experience Hosting Group Travel

July 2023

I’ve hosted 7 trips with TrovaTrip—here’s what I’ve learned

As an enthusiastic and passionate travel content creator, my goal is to share incredible destinations with my online community. Through storytelling, photos, and videos I want to encourage women to travel the world. Being a content creator for a few years now and sometimes it can feel like social media is a megaphone. I’ve always wanted to create connections and form a true community. One of the most powerful ways I have discovered to do this is by hosting group trips. Read on for my in depth review of what it’s like to host trips with TrovaTrip.

When TrovaTrip first approached me to become a Host, I was super skeptical. Not just about TrovaTrip itself (getting paid to travel with my community sounded too good to be true), but would my community even be interested in traveling with me? I’m a solo travel content creator and I thought that group trips weren’t something they would be interested in joining. Using TrovaTrip’s Host survey and chatting with members of my community, I soon realized that group travel was actually an extension of my overall mission to help women travel without waiting on others. By being a Host and inviting my community on these trips I can give them a tangible step to travel on their own. My online community gave me a resounding “Yes!” to move forward and start planning my first trip with TrovaTrip and together we decided to go to Costa Rica in 2022.

I have been fortunate enough to have now hosted multiple trips with TrovaTrip. The OGW community has been on seven trips in five different destinations across three continents. We have been to Costa Rica, Iceland, Scotland, Japan, and Italy.

We are getting ready to visit:

Egypt Oct 8-14, 2023 and Oct 18-24, 2023
European Christmas Markets Nov 29-Dec 5, 2023 and Dec 9-15, 2023
South Africa Jan 31-Feb 8, 2024 and Feb 10-18, 2024
And even more trips are in the works!

My husband has told me that he always knew that I would one day be a group trip Host. In the past, any time I entertained the idea I would immediately shut it down as something too complicated and time-consuming especially considering that One Girl Wandering is currently a one woman show. The work that would need to be done for me to host trips around the world at the quality that my community expects from my brand would take an entire team to accomplish. That’s just one of the reasons that working with TrovaTrip as a Host makes sense for my brand.

I love being a Host for TrovaTrip because they take care of so much of the planning for me like managing payments, traveler support, and trip details with local operators. And I get to focus on other aspects of my business. You know, the things I’m actually good at, like being a content creator.

With TrovaTrip as my partner I’m able to offer experiences to my community without all the stress and time it would take to plan these group trips on my own.

So, what is TrovaTrip?

TrovaTrip is a company that allows content creators to invite their communities on group trips all over the world. In short, TrovaTrip connects content creators (a.k.a. Hosts) and their travelers with itineraries created by local operators, and enables them to travel the world together.

They offer support and resources to Hosts which in turn lets Hosts, like myself, connect with our travelers in an authentic and meaningful way. By taking the hassle and headache out of planning group trips, Hosts get to focus on the people who have joined them on these trips and facilitate real world connections that go beyond the phone screen.

My favorite thing about hosting group trips is seeing the friendships that form on the trip extend beyond it. I’ve had travelers take trips together, meet up for dinner or other activities, and support each other online. I’m humbled to say that I was part of creating these relationships and bringing people together.

What is the role of a TrovaTrip Host?

As a TrovaTrip Host I like to say that I’m the “Bringer of the Vibes.” My job as a Host is to facilitate conversation, create a welcoming environment, support my travelers leading up to and on the trip, and to help smooth any issues that may come up by being an advocate for my travelers. My travelers invest not just their hard earned money but also their time on these trips and I want to make sure everything is as smooth and stress free as possible. I always tell my travelers to come to me or the local guide if they have any issues or problems. As the Host and a professional traveler I want to handle my travelers problems so that they can focus on enjoying their trip. I wouldn’t be able to do this if it wasn’t for the fantastic team at TrovaTrip and the provided local guide helping me and ensuring that I have a successful group trip.

Hosting my first trip to Costa Rica in 2022, I was so nervous. Would my travelers like me? Would they like each other? Before my trip, TrovaTrip held an online happy hour where I was able to talk to other Hosts that had run trips. I asked one of the TrovaTrip Hosts what I could do to make sure that my travelers got along and she said that it was just like magic, it would happen on its own. I was skeptical but trusted her advice that everyone would get along. And she was right! On that first trip, I watched my group of 18 strangers from the internet start the week quiet and hesitant then end the trip crying and hugging in the airport.

 

Every trip after that has had that same magic. A group of incredible travelers breaks through their comfort zone and trusts me, a stranger on the internet, to create an experience for them to discover and explore the world all while making connections and building community. It’s humbling to be trusted to be part of their journey.

Hosting with TrovaTrip pros and cons

Benefits to being a TrovaTrip Host:

  • Connect with members of your community in real life, it’s so much fun to meet the people in your community you have been talking to through DMs and comments for years.
  • Bring like-minded people together to form friendships. The most rewarding part of these trips is seeing travelers connect with each other.
  • Help people travel the world, sometimes all they need is an invite to come with you.
  • Take a wonderful trip where the details are handled for you. I plan a lot of my own trips and it is refreshing to know that I can also just show up and have fun.
  • Plan unique experiences and share your knowledge. It’s so much fun to add things that I know my community is going to enjoy.
  • Create an additional income stream. This is probably my favorite income stream because it feels closest to my brand mission and genuine.
  • TrovaTrip provides all the support you need to learn where your community wants to go, choose your itinerary, and launch your trip. Having a team that plans and runs group trips every day takes so much stress off my plate.

Learn how to host your own TrovaTrip here!

Things I would like TrovaTrip to improve for Hosts:

  • More communication with travelers leading up to the trip. I have quite a few travelers who this is their first big trip and I want to make sure they get the support they need to set themselves up for a successful trip. Currently, I do some extra work to support my travelers. For example, I created a Slack workspace where my travelers can connect, ask questions, and share their excitement for their upcoming trip. I also host live classes about topics like how to book an international flight and how to exchange currency as well as host Zoom happy hours so travelers can “meet” face to face before the trip. I’d love to see Trova facilitate things like this in the long run.
  • While TrovaTrip does have resources and quarterly calls for Hosts, I wish there was more ongoing support or opportunities for Hosts to connect and share advice. TrovaTrip started rolling out webinars and virtual Host meetings this year, and I know there are more coming #staytuned.
  • As I’ve shared with the team at Trova, I would like for it to be easier for travelers to switch trips without a monetary penalty. Because I do run multiple trips, I have travelers who need to switch dates or even destinations of my trips and I think they should be able to do this fee-free. Currently, there is a $100 change fee for switching a booking on a TrovaTrip after the trip is confirmed.
  • For the itineraries, I wish there was even more detail about the activities. I’m very type-A and want as much information as possible and I know my travelers appreciate knowing as much as possible before the trip.
  • Speaking of details, while TrovaTrip has destination guides, I have found the packing lists to be generic. Consulting with Hosts who have been on these trips or local operators to create better guides would be very helpful for future trips (another item I’m told is on their radar for the not-so-distant future).

When it’s all said and done, I’ve been thrilled about my experience as a TrovaTrip partner and what I’ve been able to offer my community through using their platform. Trova is a quickly growing start up so sometimes there are growing pains, but the team is eager to listen, learn, and pivot to create a better experience for us Hosts and our Travelers.

What my community is saying about my trips

Lindsay is such an amazing host — she was so clearly personally invested in making sure every traveler had the absolute best time. As someone who usually takes the lead in planning trips (whether solo or with friends), it was so nice to be able to sit back, relax, and trust that everything was taken care of. With Lindsay’s adjustments to the itinerary, the trip was perfectly paced. I never felt like I had too much time to kill at any given location, nor did I ever feel rushed. I tend to be either overly ambitious with my itineraries or leave too much unscheduled time — her expertise here really showed. As an introvert with social anxiety, I definitely had some reservations around signing up for a week-long trip with 20+ strangers. But Lindsay is such a great community-builder and even better host that those reservations quickly disappeared. I look forward to traveling with Lindsay again!

– Jessica

I was hesitant about doing a group trip, but I am so glad I went! I genuine had the best time! Loved that everything was taken care of and I all I had to worry about was where I wanted to have dinner. Lindsay is an amazing host! She truly cares about her travelers and goes above & beyond to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves. And the other travelers where amazing as well! The community Lindsay has built is amazing. I would do another trip with her in a heartbeat!

– Blanca

I had the best time on this trip! I’m going to start with the highlight, which was our host, Lindsay. She really pours her heart and soul into these group trips and it really shows– from the well thought-out itineraries, to the personal touches, the positive attitude and inclusivity. She truly goes above and beyond to make sure everyone feels comfortable and included. Special mention also to our absolute gem of a local guide, Mark. Not only was he a joy to share our time with, but the information and guidance he provided to us was invaluable. I felt that our itinerary provided ample opportunity to sight-see and explore but also allowed for rest. Everything was well-executed. Even though the weather didn’t cooperate a time or two, Mark and Lindsay worked together to pivot and make sure we were maximizing our time as best they could. This was my first experience traveling solo and also my first experience with Trova and I think the best way to sum it up is to say that I’ll definitely be booking again in the future! Highly recommend a trip with Lindsay, especially for my fellow solo female travelers!

– Tara

I had never traveled overseas and this trip more than met all of my expectations!! Lindsay was incredible! She hosted zoom meeting prior to the trip to allow time for travel questions and also for an opportunity to get to know each other a bit before the trip. The itinerary packed so much into each day while still allowing us some down time to explore on our own. The local guides were an amazing asset to the trip. They each shared their passsion and knowledge to make the trip that much more magical. I can’t wait to go on another trip with Lindsay!

– Emily

Amalfi Coast with Lindsay was my first ever week long guided tour. As someone that has traveled solo or with groups of friends of over 10 of us, and always planning all of if not most of it. I truly did not know what to expect. After my experience all I can say is that it exceeded my expectations completely and I am planning to book in the future another trip that Lindsay plans. I did tours and saw things I don’t think I wouldve ever done if it wasnt for Lindsays expertise. Although there were over 20 people on our tour, Lindsay was so personable and at times I felt as if it was a one on one tour. I am sure thats how she made most if not all of us feel at one point on this trip. Thanks to everyone possible I had a trip of a lifetime that I will never be able to forget. I will also for sure recommend a trip with Lindsay to anyone and everyone. Lindsay I love you and I am forever grateful. It shows that you love what you do and you do it well.

– Cyndie

This was my second trip with Lindsay. She always goes above and beyond to make sure all of us have the best possible time. Much care goes into the itinerary and I appreciate all the highlights we were able to see. This was a pretty packed week, but also had some balance of solo time to explore if we wanted.

– Lindsay

I had the best time/experience with Lindsay and the group. Lindsay was available many months before the trip to answer any questions to make sure we were prepared. During the trip, Lindsay went out of her way to answer all questions or reached out to the guides if needed. The itinerary was jam packed but still had some free time to see/do things off the itinerary. I appreciated that Lindsay was so helpful and shared her knowledge and also joined the group for off itinerary activities/lunch/dinners.Thank you, Lindsay!!!

– Brenda

I fell in love with Japan during my trip with Lindsay. She thought of everything ahead of time so I felt confident that my first solo trip would be successful.

– Rebecca

Japan with Lindsay was amazing!! This was my first international trip as a solo adult traveler, meaning this was my first trip where I was responsible for getting my life together (i.e., flights, covid regulations, currency, etc.) Lindsay did the most to prep us and help us feel ready for this trip! She created a Slack channel for our group to communicate beforehand and ask questions. Even though I’m sure I could have figured it out, it felt comforting to know that Lindsay had initiated that communication. It alleviated the stress of having to do it all on my own. Overall, I’m happy I trusted this stranger to show me around Japan. 😉

– Natasha

Travelling with Lindsay was an absolute blast. I knew as soon as I saw the Japan Itinerary go live that I wanted to sign up and I wanted to travel to Japan with Lindsay specifically. I have been following OneGirlWandering for a while now and always felt empowered by her content. With the opportunity to travel and meet her, I knew I could not pass up the deal and WOW the trip did not disappoint! Travelling with TrovaTrip was easy and the itinerary was exactly what I wanted from my second trip to Japan. TrovaTrip went through great lengths to account for all the personal needs on the trip as well as helped with transportation and luggage transfers which is no small thing to sneeze at. Lindsay was also great to get to know and learn from while in Japan. Her depth of knowledge and respect for the culture matched the local guides! I greatly enjoyed my trip and I have already signed up for my next trip with Lindsay+TrovaTrip in 2024 within days of landing stateside! I cannot recommend this type of group experience, and especially if you get the opportunity to travel with Lindsay, enough to all levels of traveler who may be interested.

– Kara

Lindsay was AMAZING and so very helpful. She made my first trip out of the country pretty great ! I don’t think I would of had the courage to do it without her. I was pretty scared going in and she made the process so easy. Lindsay didn’t have to take us back to some of the places we ran out of time with but she did. She didn’t have to be so involved but she was. I could’ve missed the train to Kyoto but she stayed back to make sure I caught back up with the group . 10/10 recommend traveling with her ❤️

– Carrie

Lindsay is a five star, rock-star host. She is first and foremost an expert traveler who is passionate about sharing her love of travel with her community. I cannot say enough about all of the effort she put into preparing the group for the trip (optional zoom calls before, slack chat to answer questions and help the group to get to know each other) as well as how incredibly involved she was in the trip itself from input to the itinerary to participation in all of the events as well as offering separate mini-excisions for people who were interested in certain things not on the official agenda. She set the tone for the group and as a result, we had a fun, engaged group and I left Japan with a number of new friends.

– Jodi


My words of advice? Host the trip!

Becoming a Host with TrovaTrip has been the best thing I have ever done with my brand and I almost turned down this opportunity. I’m so glad that I took this leap and my community caught me. If you are thinking about becoming a TrovaTrip Host and are on the fence about it, I encourage you to take the leap. If you ever have any questions, my Instagram DMs are open and I’d love to chat about hosting group trips. Don’t let fear and anxiety hold you back. Sign up with TrovaTrip and put your survey out there. I think you will be surprised about how excited your community is to travel with you and connect in real life.