September 26, 2022

Business Travel is Back: 7 Tips for Planning Your Next Trip

Business travel has certainly taken a back seat over the previous few years, but with everybody adjusting to the new normal, it’s time to start planning trips again. Getting away for your regular conferences, seminars and client meetings is becoming much easier, but there are some ways you can ensure your business trips go smoothly.

A New Kind of Business Travel

The new type of business travel that’s becoming more common is known as ‘business leisure’, or even ‘bleisure’. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, people’s working lives have changed dramatically. More people are working remotely or from home. Some even left their jobs and went out on their own, starting new businesses for themselves.

So, with more freedom in how you work, is there a reason you need to stay at home? Many people are deciding to get away, working on the road. As long as you have reliable internet connections, it can be possible for some people to work anywhere. So, could you book round-the-world airfares and work while you travel? Many people can, and do exactly that!

How to Start Planning Business Trips

Whether you’re off on a working holiday or just getting away for a few days of client meetings, the key is in the planning. Here are some tips to ensure your business travel goes smoothly and you get the most out of your time away.

Maximise Your Business Travel Budget

The first thing to consider when planning a business trip is how to get the most out of the money you spend. Unless you’re a high-flying, jet-setting CEO with little to no financial restrictions, you want to make the most out of every trip.

For example, if you’re travelling to meet with one client, try to meet others at the same time. This gives you more value from the trip. In addition, even if it’s domestic travel, you may be able to extend your trip and visit other cities to do more business. It’s much more cost-effective while you’re already travelling.

Book Well In Advance

Booking in advance is the best way to ensure your business trip is a success. In some cases, you don’t have much warning before a business trip. But if you do have some flexibility, try to book things well before your travel date.

Not only does this give you more opportunities to book meetings and maximise the trip, but you can usually get better airfare deals by booking early. By booking in advance, you also have more options to adjust your travel schedule if other business opportunities come up.

Consider Travel Insurance

If you’re booking with a travel agency, they will be able to give you a clear run-down of all the terms and conditions of your flight. Remember, some fares are more flexible than others. For example, heavily discounted cheap airfares usually don’t give you much ability to change flights without attracting fees. More inclusive flights generally give you more options if you need to make a last-minute change to your plans.

The other option is travel insurance, which covers you in the event that you can’t travel for some reason. It’s something that people don’t really enjoy paying for, but if you’re booking round the world airfares, for example, it’s worth the expense. It’s always worth the expense for business travel – you can claim it as a business expense, as long as your reasons for travel are legitimate.

Book Convenient Accommodation

When booking accommodation, don’t make life difficult for yourself. Think about where your business activities are, whether it be client meetings or seminars and conferences. Ideally, try to book accommodation near the places you need to be for work. Otherwise, you just end up wasting a lot of time and money on local transport.

For maximum convenience, if you’re attending a conference at a venue that also has accommodation, book on-site, and you’ll always be nearby! Also, consider whether your accommodation is convenient for arrival and departure. For example, is there a good public transport system to get you to the airport on time when you leave?

Have a Clear Itinerary

A business trip isn’t like a normal holiday. Of course, you can schedule some leisure time, too. But mostly, you’ll be busy with work-related activities. To stay on top of these commitments, create a clear itinerary of your trip, including travel and your work commitments.

Start with your flights, and try to incorporate all of your essential activities. From there, you’ll have a clearer idea of when you have free time. It also ensures you don’t miss any important appointments. For example, if something goes wrong, such as a delayed flight, you’ll be able to easily see which appointments you need to shuffle around.

Send meeting reminders before you travel

Another very small step, but one that gets forgotten too often. If you’re planning business trips well in advance, sending reminders is crucial. You’re the one travelling, so it’s not likely you’ll forget a meeting. But the same can’t always be said for your clients because it may not be a huge priority for them.

A week before you leave, send some reminder emails to any clients you intend to meet while away. This ensures they don’t forget about your visit and also gives you an opportunity to find replacement activities if anybody can’t keep their appointments.

Don’t Forget Some Leisure Time

Finally, all work and no play takes its toll. Some business trips are very much a matter of arriving, attending your appointment and leaving straight away. But if you’ve got some more flexibility with how you operate, why not enjoy some time away too?

If you need to visit a new city for work, try to add at least another day after your work activities so you can do some sightseeing. You’ve made the effort, paid for the flights and accommodation – you might as well enjoy some of the trip on a personal level too!

Need Help Planning Your Business Travel?

Airfare Geeks is your specialist travel agency whenever you need to get away for work or play. Whether it’s a quick trip or a round-the-world working holiday, we’ve got you covered. Make the most out of your business trips, and book with Airfare Geeks today.