Once upon a time, AFS was known for large groups. In the past 3 years, we have significantly reduced the size for you. I follow hundreds of tour companies who claim “small group”, yet I see photos posted of groups 45 to 60 people, several consistently grossly violate this. Size is subjective but we want to be honest and transparent.
We have struggled to reduce to smaller groups as you request. Last year we sent groups of 7, 9, 14, 18 people and averaged 20 to 26. In the tourism industry, this is considered small. Conversely, these trips often sell out. When we post “wait list”, some get mad. Also the trip price significantly increases for us (average $200-$300 higher). All global suppliers must price based on number of participants. When we announce a new price on our website, some people get upset. So it’s a catch-22.
Please note moving forward; we aim to keep our groups between 14 and 35 travel lovers. We appreciate your understanding as we balance providing an intimate experience with the economic realities of small group tours.
