We have many hats in our collection at Happily, and one of them is VIP Travel Experience Extraordinaire.

When you’re paying for your attendees to fly into your on-site event you want every little detail to go smoothly. The way we see it, the invitees' experience of your event begins the moment they receive the invitation, and every interaction after - including getting there - reflects back onto the overall event experience.

We are talking about a Happily team booking flights, making custom itineraries, arranging for under 18 travel, international travel, ground transportation with door-to-door pickup, hotel check-ins, and we can even build a special web application just so we can keep travel plans updated.

We’ve managed VIP travel experiences for some big deal companies, such as YouTube, H&M, and TikTok’s Make Black History Summit 2020.

Here are some quick tips for arranging group travel as we ease into a new normal post-pandemic

1. First of all, make flying-in optional.

Not only are some people still not ready or able to prioritize work travel, you’ll be reducing carbon emissions by up to 97%. For flights you can’t avoid, we always book non-stop to reduce carbon and calculate our emissions to offset those in our Happily Forest.

2. Create clear criteria for where you feel safe to host your group.

For us at Happily, this means 70% of the city is fully vaccinated. Also that the venue has comfortable outdoor spaces, with clear guidelines on entry and exit.

3. Put extra care into communicating your safety protocols.

Create a dedicated space online to publish COVID safety requirements and updates local to the area, your venue, and your program. Use plain, even fun English to prepare folks to get temperature checks, wear masks indoors, and using hand sanitizer.

4. Buy travel insurance that includes COVID coverage (even if people are vaccinated).

This might sound extra, but we recommend it. Ideally, your travel insurance covers COVID related health expenses, flight changes and delays, and all the stuff that travel insurance should cover. (Pro Tip: book well in advance for that flexibility.)

5. Don’t bunk up.

In the (g)olden days, we used to save some money here and there by putting two staffers to a room, two guests in a car ect. and it just does not work out that way anymore. If you’re going to spring for an all-expenses event, just go for it.