Should Food Be Included On A Photo Workshop
Having led photo workshops since 2013 I am constantly faced with the decision of whether to include food or exclude food when I am pricing out a workshop. There are some caveats to this… My Africa, India, Mongolia, and boat expedition trips are often quoted to me with food included because of the logistics of these workshops. But my other trips like my Canada, France, and USA trips offer me much more flexibility.
This blog post offers you some “food” for thought when you are booking your next photo workshop or photo tour.
Benefits of Including Food In The Price Of A Workshop
– You do not have to think about anything. All your food is included.
– There is no need to bring along extra money to pay for your meals.
– You’re on holiday. Eat whatever you want
Downfalls of Including Food In The Price Of A Workshop
– You are spending money that you might normally spend.
Benefits Of Not Including Food On The Price Of A Workshop
– You are saving money
Downfalls Of Not Including Food In The Price Of A Workshop
– You have to bring along money to pay for your meals.
Let’s take a look at a real-world situation. I lead workshops every year in Newfoundland. One of my regular restaurants to eat at for a final dinner in St. Johns is “the Keg”. The most expensive meal at the Keg looks like this:
Appetizer – Escargot is $12
Main Course – 10oz Filet Mignon is $49
Desert – Billy Miner Pie is $10
Coffee and soft drinks – $7
The most expensive meal on the menu would be $100 including taxes and tip
In order to make sure every meal is covered in my budget I would have to make sure I budget $100 for each person in the group. You may only want a light dinner of a salad, chicken, no dessert, water, and a soft drink. That would cost $55 including taxes and tips.
If I did not include meals in my budget you would be saving $45 just on that one meal alone. While including food may make life easier, it ends up saving you money. Based on my experience, not including meals would save you $300 to $350 over the course of a week.
I hope I gave you something to think about when booking your next workshop or tour company.