The Busy Business Traveller Blog

  There are the doomsayers out there predicting corporate travel will never recover to 2019 levels and that a high percentage of meetings and events will remain virtual. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, is probably the most high-profile proponent of this with a downbeat forecast that 50% of business travel will not return. Of course, it may well suit him and his businesses to support this view. Then there are those with a more optimistic perspective - the firm believers in the need to get out in the world and meet people face-to-face, especially in the corporate world.  Among this group are airline and hotel leaders who argue that while recovery in corporate travel will take time, it will return. The respective CEOs of EasyJet , Emirates and United Airlines have all been vocal on the issue. Some even say there could be more business travel driven by the remote working trend. (This also increases the advantages of corporate travel planners , just by the way…) Whoever is...

If you’ll soon be getting back in the skies or on the road for business travel, take note of these smart tips. Business travel is beginning to pick back up thanks to the rise in vaccination rates. This means that many business travellers, many of whom used to travel frequently, have to once again figure out the best “travel hacks” to ensure safe and efficient trips. Frequent travellers know that constantly being on the road or in the air can feel exhausting and overwhelming if you aren’t adequately prepared. That’s why a panel of Executive Board members shared some of their best strategies to make travelling for work easier.  1. PREPARE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS FOR OFFLINE USE. An essential “hack” is to remember to prepare important documents that you are working in for offline use. That way you can maximize the value of your travel time and continue to keep up with your business’s demands when your devices are in aeroplane mode or you lack a proper Wi-Fi/mobile connection. And don’t ...

Organizations will need to rework business travel policies, attentive & responsive minds, and an openness to new ways of working. The rapid administration and rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines is having a profound impact on the resumption of business travel. Although COVID-19 vaccinations are helping to enable travel, it has further emphasised the complexities organisations and travellers need to consider. organisations will need to rework business travel policies, attentive & responsive minds, and an openness to new ways of working.  As employee Health & Wellness becomes a greater focus for organisations, understanding the impact of business travel on a company and its employees has become critical. For organisations to make a call on being #Travelready and finding the right time to return to face-to-face meetings will be a nuanced decision based on multiple factors extending beyond employee vaccinations.  Read more on being #TravelReady by reading these  corp...

 In the midst of a pandemic that brought travel of all kinds to a grinding halt, with little clarity on when and how it will resume at scale, the work of managing corporate travel was not business as usual in 2020. A prolonged decline in business travel appears likely, but that does not necessarily mean a decline in demand for skilled travel managers. In fact, the most skilled and savvy report increased demand for their abilities and respect for their strategic value.  At companies big and small, whether thriving or struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, corporate travel managers faced remarkable challenges in 2020, and their roles continue to change as they navigate unpredictable years ahead.  From Crisis Management to the Messy Middle  In the early months of the crisis, travel managers played a big and very visible role. The more tightly managed a travel program was the easier it was to locate employees, assess their risk, and st...

  As you start to lay the groundwork for consolidating your corporate travel program, here are some important factors to consider: 1. Balance standardization and localization An important part of consolidating a travel program is to standardize processes and policies across different geographies, as it makes the program more efficient. But while having a globally consistent approach has many advantages, ignoring market-specific nuances can be a big mistake. For example, having an integrated visa offering may not be a priority for employees in Singapore, but it would be a key priority for local employees in India as they require visas for most of their international travel. Similarly, having a standard tax reclaim process will not work across offices due to different regulations. Striking the right balance between standardization and localization is key, especially in a region as varied as Asia Pacific. 2. Understand cultural differences Related to the previous point, you also need ...

  Travelling During Lockdown . It is important to remember that there is still a pandemic out there and no cure in sight. Travelling has been allowed, some Airbnbs and hotels have opened, however, this is mainly for business-related travelling only. It’s still high-risk travelling, even if it is for work. But there are ways you can be safe. Here are a few things you can do before leaving home and once you have reached your destination. Do your research It is important to do your research before your trip - a corporate travel planning business can help with this. Although the regulations in every province are the same, a city might have its own extra rule on the side. Find out what one usually does when one arrives at your destination. This is especially important for the Airbnb or hotel that you are going to be staying at. If you’re not somebody who usually reads up on hotel policies, now is the time to be that person. Many places have changed their policies and rules to adjust to...

Travelling for business is often a necessary evil, depending on your job and workload, but if the trip is well organised - perhaps by a business travel agency , you can get all the work done that you need to finish before returning home. It is important that you take some time to prepare for your business trip so that you can be as organised and efficient as possible while you are away. Business trips can be stressful and chaotic, so you want to have everything in place before you go so that the trip is productive and as enjoyable as possible. You should avoid leaving everything until the day before you go away so that you don’t have to deal with any added pressure on the days leading up to your trip. Here are eight tips on how you can best prepare for a business trip and the different things you will want to consider. Make Sure You Have a Passport… and One That it is Valid This may seem like an obvious thing to do before any trip, but you will be surprised at how many people forget th...