5 Reasons Why Group Travel is The New Networking Platform

As a former recruiter (and cheerleader), I'm the first one to throw my pom poms in the air to show my love for the professional networking platform LinkedIn. But what if there were other ways to network and make impactful connections that take us offline and into the real world? We've heard of couples and friendships sprouting organically in real-time, so why can't the same rules apply to building our professional networks? No, I'm not talking about drinking stale coffee at a corporate networking event because, in this post-pandemic world, we're breaking free of the confines of those predictable office walls, boosting social connections, and transforming our professional repertoires, all starting by booking a trip. From gaining business advisors to building professional portfolios, group travel is the new networking platform, proving travel can offer more than just adventure and fun.

Group travel can spark new creativity – New mindset; who dis?

According to McKinsey Health Institute, "the average person spends a third of their life at work – more than 90,000 hours in a lifetime." That's a whole lot of "work work work work work," and even more reason to step outside our day-to-day routine and gain some new perspectives.

After shifting my career from recruiting to marketing, I struggled to get to the final rounds of interviews. I could speak to my knowledge about my industry, but my writing portfolio was lacking. Enter my first SurfYogaBeer trip in Nicaragua. Maybe it was the mesmerizing sunsets or the shake-up of routine surrounded by new and interesting people, but something about this trip sparked something in me. It was weeks later that I published my next blog inspired by that trip and a few more when I finally landed my job. Fast forward to now, and I'm so proud of my chunky writing portfolio that wouldn't have been possible without finding this community.

Forbes shares, "A study from the University of British Columbia found that as our mind wanders, brain areas associated with complex problem-solving are highly active. This can lead to eureka moments, a term coined by thought leader David Burkus and defined as flashes of insight that come out of periods when the mind isn't focused on the problem. Traveling often places us in environments where we're exposed to different ways of thinking, which can solve some of our problems in ways we would've never considered before." (BRB - booking a trip ASAP.) 

Group travel can create serendipitous encounters

Networking and making solid connections don't always happen in the most typical ways. While we can't totally dismiss traditional networking methods and connecting on virtual platforms like LinkedIn, there are incredible networking opportunities in the real world that are just waiting for us to find them. Great networking requires keeping an open mind, focusing on physical human experiences, and sometimes tapping into our interests. Photographer Aaron Colussi shares, "On my first SurfYogaBeer Iceland trip in 2018, the creative director for the menswear line Rhone was on the trip. We hit it off really well, and since then, they've hired me for a number of shoots across the globe. He's become a good friend, and that connection has led to a lot of work opportunities." 

Photo by Aaron Colussi - SYB Iceland

Group travel allows you to practice your craft

While some may say a polite "hell no" when bringing up work chat on vacation, we can't argue that it's a common topic many of us lead with when meeting someone new. Brittany, Certified Life Coach, and HR Director, adds, "I got to improve my coaching skills during SYB Remote in Nicaragua. While networking, I was upset that I was telling people I was in HR without adding that I'm also a Coach. A close friend on the trip advocated for my coaching talents, and suddenly, several people asked to meet with me for coaching sessions. One of my biggest barriers was my mindset, and my imposter syndrome made me question, "Can I do this?" The positive response affirmed that I can step into this space and step into my strengths."

Group travel can get you outside your comfort zone

One of the best parts about group travel (besides all of it) is the people and the new experiences that await. When joining a group trip, we're likely joining a group of other like-minded people who are probably open to those new experiences and some real-life, below-the-surface conversations. Whether experiencing the awe of viewing a pride of lions together from a few feet away or pushing through another rep of an intense workout, when traveling with a group, that informal setting encourages natural interactions.

Group travel also has a funny way of opening us up and helping us connect with people who act as mirrors, reflecting aspects of ourselves we might not have noticed on our own. Those same people are sometimes just the push we need to get us out of the cocoon and flapping our stunning butterfly wings. Photographer Sam Knollmeyer shares how he met other inspiring creatives during a trip through South Africa, "I've wanted to create a little more content around my photography for a while, and the travel content creators I met on this trip encouraged me (sometimes forced me) to get in front of the camera and get content of myself in cool places that I can use for social media and to have memories of myself while traveling as well!"

Photo by Sam Knollmeyer - SYB Croatia

Group travel fosters genuine connections

It's no surprise that so many of us crave social connection when social disconnection is on the rise. While working is a social experience, having a social life outside the office is vital to our well-being, another benefit of group travel. And, when we meet inspiring people on an incredible trip who can positively impact how we return to work (and life in general), that's what we call PTO well spent. 

Clinical Psychologist  Dr. Jason Duncan shares how a New Year's Eve trip to Playa Maderas, Nicaragua, led him to hire a consultant for his psychology practice. "When I met Beth on her first SurfYogaBeer trip, little did I know she would become, most importantly, a very good friend, but also someone who was incredibly knowledgeable about business operations. When I told her how I was going about a project for my business, she quickly realized I needed a resource with expertise. She posted the project in one of her professional networking groups, helped me screen applicants, and sat in on interviews, which ultimately led to hiring my Director of Business Operations and two others in my practice."

The thing about professional connections is that sometimes the best ones show up when we take off those professional hats we probably leave on for a little too long. Maybe our next connection or "ah ha" moment isn't on another webinar or an after-work networking event at a bar. Maybe, just maybe, the key to unlocking our next professional breakthroughs is happening on the other side of that group travel adventure. If not for the everyday you and me, let's book that group trip for our professional selves – they'll thank us later. That PTO is impatiently waiting to be marked on the calendar. Will you spend your PTO with us?

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