August 10th, 2008 
Scott Coates Since Day 1, Smiling Albino has always specialized in truly ‘small group’ travel. Our maximum group-size is eight persons and we have an average group-size of six. Our trips can even start with a minimum of two persons.
We also run private, custom trips with larger numbers when requested – say a large family that wants to travel together, but then we ramp-up our host-guest ratio. To us these numbers and operating style is what ‘small group’ travel means.
A recent online search of ‘small group travel’ turned-up some startling results and the Smiling Albino Team had a close look at the group size of other travel groups who promote trips with a ‘small group-size’. It was surprising to say the least at what we found.
Many companies define a ‘small group’ at around 12-15 persons. Not bad, a bit too many people for our tastes, but not bad. Others tipped the scales in the high-teens and one company boasting ‘intimate-size groups’ has a maximum group size of 34! 34! Come on, 34 persons would be an intimate wedding, an intimate funeral, a mid-size party, but 34 people traveling together is a full bus – hardly intimate.
Here’re some of our findings on other travel retailer’s group sizes:
Intrepid features a maximum 12 travelers on their ‘Original’ style 
trips.
GAP has a trip in Thailand that has a maximum of 15 travelers.
Peregrine has a maximum group size of 15 with their trips.
ElderTreks hosts groups to a maximum of 16 persons.
Trek Travel tips the scales with their ‘intimate’ group of 34 persons.
Butterfield & Robinson usually has 16 people on their trips (results via email enquiry).
Abercrombie and Fitch comes in really high with a maximum 24 (results via email enquiry).
When we started Smiling Albino back in 2000, ‘intimate’ travel meant single-digit-sized groups. We didn’t research the competition very much and assumed most other companies capped their groups at about 12 persons. This recent search was not only surprising, but solidified our original vision of ‘small group’ travel and what it means to us. We’re proud to host truly ‘intimate-sized’ groups and be the leaders in ‘small group’ travel.
We look forward to hosting you on a trip with no more than eight travelers – guaranteed!
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