Every trip has two roles that are easy to mix up — the lead traveler and the point of contact. They're usually the same person, but not always, and the difference decides who gets the emails.
In this article
- Lead traveler — the first guest listed on the trip (one of the people actually attending).
- Point of contact — the person who booked the trip and, by default, receives all the automated messaging about it: confirmations, reminders, and alerts.
Most of the time the person booking is also going on the trip, so one person fills both roles. They split apart when someone books on behalf of others — a gift, or an office manager booking for a group they won't join.
How the roles get set at booking
No matter which booking method is used, the booking flow asks whether the person booking "will be one of the travelers on this booking." That single checkbox is what ties or splits the two roles:
- Checkbox left on (the default) — the booker is added as both the point of contact and the lead traveler.
- Checkbox turned off — the booker becomes the point of contact only, and the first guest you add becomes the lead traveler.
So if someone is buying a trip as a gift, or booking for a group they won't attend, uncheck it — they'll still get the confirmation and reminder emails as the point of contact, but they won't be counted as a traveler.
Fixing it after the fact
Set the wrong role during booking — for example, left the checkbox on when the booker isn't actually attending? You can edit the lead traveler and the point of contact on the trip after it's booked; you don't need to cancel and start over.
Because the point of contact receives the automated emails, this is the field to check when a guest says they didn't get their confirmation but someone else did — the messages go to whoever holds that role, which isn't always the person on the phone.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between the lead traveler and the point of contact?
The lead traveler is the first guest listed on the trip (someone attending). The point of contact is the person who booked it and, by default, receives all the automated emails about the trip. They're often the same person, but not when someone books on behalf of others.
Who receives the confirmation and reminder emails?
The point of contact. Automated messaging about the trip goes to whoever holds that role — which may not be the lead traveler if the booking was made for someone else.
Someone is booking a trip as a gift — how do I set that up?
During booking, turn off the "will be one of the travelers on this booking" checkbox. The gift-giver becomes the point of contact (and gets the emails), and the first guest you add becomes the lead traveler.
Why is the booker showing up as a traveler when they're not attending?
The "will be one of the travelers on this booking" checkbox was left on during booking, which adds the booker as both point of contact and lead traveler. Edit the trip to correct the lead traveler — you don't need to rebook.
Can I change the lead traveler or point of contact after booking?
Yes. Both can be edited on the trip after it's booked, so a mistake made during the booking flow is an easy fix — no need to cancel and rebook.
Are the lead traveler and point of contact usually the same person?
Yes — when the person booking is also attending, one person fills both roles. They differ only when someone books for others, such as a gift or a group organizer who won't be on the trip.
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