Plan Smarter – How to Create a Strong EOI or Survey and Set Your Group Trip Up for Success
When you’re excited about a destination or know your community is itching to travel with you, it’s tempting to lock in a trip right away. But before you dive into itineraries, launching an Expression of Interest (EOI) campaign or a simple audience survey is one of the smartest moves you can make. Think of it as checking the vibe of your travellers before you build the full experience. It tells you what they want, when they can go, and how committed they are to joining.
Here’s why starting with an EOI or survey can make all the difference in designing a group trip that’s a hit.
The Difference Between an EOI and a Survey
A survey helps you understand the big picture. Use it to uncover your audience’s dream destinations, preferred activities, budgets, and ideal travel dates.
👉 Sample audience survey: https://bit.ly/sample-best-in-travel-audience-survey
If you already have a destination and concept in mind, go straight to an Expression of Interest (EOI). It measures excitement and gives you a realistic idea of who is ready to book.
👉 Sample audience EOI: https://bit.ly/sample-best-in-travel-eoi
Both options gather names and contact details, which becomes gold later when you launch your trip. You’ll have a warm list of people who already raised their hand before anyone else sees it.
Discover Where Your Audience Wants to Go
A survey acts as your destination compass. It tells you if your audience is dreaming of beaches, mountains, culture, wellness, or pure adventure. You might confirm that your chosen destination is spot on, or you may uncover a completely different hotspot your community can’t stop thinking about. These insights help shape an itinerary that feels custom built for them and instantly more appealing.
Level Up by Learning Even More About Your Audience
Budgets, preferred travel seasons, must do activities, pace of travel… this is where you learn what the dream trip actually looks like from their perspective. These details not only help you design something they’ll love, they also prevent you from creating an itinerary that misses the mark.
❤️🔥 Hot Tip: Offering a few well chosen answer options leads to clearer, more actionable results and fewer follow-up questions.
Check for Genuine Interest Before Going All-In
Once you’ve gathered the data you need, an Expression of Interest (EOI) is your green light. It’s a simple way to measure real commitment in the trip concept before you invest time and resources into building the full trip out.
A strong response means momentum is on your side. If interest is lower than expected, you can adjust dates, price points, or even the destination without having wasted weeks of work. It keeps your planning nimble and strategic.
How Many Responses Do You Need?
Aim for 50+ responses as a minimum. That’s the sweet spot where you can confidently move into planning, knowing there’s solid demand.
But remember, whilst numbers do historically matter when it comes to converting interest into bookings, they aren’t everything. If you have a tight, highly engaged community that is ready to travel with you, you can move ahead with fewer responses. Under 50 responses can be enough when your audience is motivated and has a track record of showing up for you.
In short:
- 50-100 is great. EOIs/surveys with 100+ responses are 5 times more likely to succeed
- Less can still work if your community is loyal and ready to travel.
It’s not just the count that matters but the excitement behind it.
How to Promote Your EOI or Survey on Social Media
Promoting your EOI or survey isn’t about shouting into the void. It’s about meeting your community where they already are and inviting them into the creative process.
Here’s how to get the most out of your platforms:
1. Choose the Platforms Where You’re Strongest
Start where your audience is most engaged. For many creators that’s Instagram, but your followers might be active on TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook. Post first where you naturally get the best response, then cross-promote so you capture anyone who missed the initial announcement.
And don’t forget the smaller platforms you’ve built over time. Even if numbers are modest, those followers can still become enthusiastic travellers.
Email lists count too. It might feel old school, but travel questions land beautifully in inboxes and usually spark high quality responses.
2. What to Post and When
Survey promotion works best with a short, intentional posting rhythm. Here’s a simple one week plan you can follow:
Day 1
- Post a direct, personal video explaining why you’re exploring the idea of hosting a trip. Share what excites you and let your audience know that their feedback will shape the destination, budget, and activities.
Include a clear call to action to tap the link for the survey or EOI.
Day 2
- Follow up with a reminder post. Not everyone sees day 1, and gentle nudges help drive participation. This post can be a static image, a Reel, or a Story.
Day 4
- Share early insights. Tell your community the top destination ideas or most popular activity suggestions so far. Invite questions and answer them publicly to deepen excitement.
Day 6
- If you have a few destinations rising to the top, talk through what excites you about each one. Encourage people to weigh in through comments or DMs. This creates genuine collaboration and momentum.
Day 7
- Wrap up with a thank you. Let your community know how much their feedback means and that you’ll be using their input to shape the final itinerary and launch.
Important notes: You’re not spamming. Social algorithms show your posts to only a small portion of your audience, so repeating the message is actually essential. And the above is just a guide that you might like to implement over a week – you can absolutely run a survey or EOI campaign over a far longer period of time.
Final Thoughts
Running an EOI or survey isn’t just a good idea; it’s the foundation of a successful group trip. From destination and activity preferences to timing and budget insights, your audience’s feedback helps you craft an experience that’s both exciting and aligned with what they want.
So, before diving into the details, consider the EOI as your insider’s guide – one that makes your trip planning more strategic and your final journey something your travellers will love from start to finish.
As we mentioned earlier, an EOI or survey is an ideal way to start gathering email addresses of those keen to join. When it’s time to launch the trip, you’ll already have a list of people who’ve shown interest, making it easier to connect with an audience that’s primed for the adventure!
Want to learn more or have questions about planning the perfect group trip with Best In Travel? Reach out to us via email to hello@bestintravelgroup.com
