Leo Singh

Follow the incentive: it's never just the destination, it's who pays what. If teenagers contribute, suddenly they want a voice. So, it will be necessary to add restaurants and activities to the list of things where a compromise must be found, not just the place where we sleep.

Follow the incentive: who benefits from this idea that travel companions necessarily dictate the final destination and budget? It's too black-and-white as a statement; a great deal, like a cheap flight to Iceland seen on Facebook, is unpredictable. The reality is that opportunity and price can outweigh the chosen company, and then, other arrangements are possible. If a plane ticket costs $300 for a week all-inclusive, I won't let it slip just because my friend can't come.

Who benefits from this idea that travel companions absolutely determine our destination? Honestly, it seems to ignore the reality of unexpected opportunities.
For a student, money and available time are much more important factors than the desires of a group of friends.
If a promotion comes out for a $200 flight to Jamaica during my reading week, the motivation behind my decision is not group consensus, but the chance to go at a low price.
The idea that friends decide everything is a luxury few can afford when every dollar counts and we have to juggle class schedules and work.

For family vacations, if the parents pay everything, then they decide the destination. But if the older teens contribute, then compromises are necessary, or else you end up with sulkiness in the car for the whole trip.