Travelling for business - your go-to checklist

Whether you're looking forward to your next trip or dreading it, one thing is for sure; business travel is picking up again. On a positive note, business travel need not always be a headache, especially if you follow our tips. We'll provide a list of crucial steps to follow and a few leisurely ideas to make your journey more comfortable and an overall enjoyable experience.
 

Booking through an agent or online booking tool

Recently, the advent of online tools and quick and easy booking at the click of a button makes it seem less intuitive to contact a travel agent. A recent survey shows that 41% of travellers now prefer to book using online travel agencies and aggregators. 29% of travellers choose to book direct, while the last 29% still prefer to use a traditional booking agency.

While it may seem more convenient to handle all your travel affairs independently, agencies still offer their clients exclusive fares, offer travel expertise, and work efficiently at creating a travel itinerary. There are, of course, pros and cons to either avenue, but many still see the advantage of a more personalised travel experience.

Planning itineraries and connecting flight

It goes without saying that a travel plan or itinerary is required for international travel. From hotel check-in to planning travel from airports to lodges, knowing what you'll be doing, where and with who needs to be planned ahead of schedule. If you find planning an itinerary from scratch a hassle, consider using an online template such as Jotform. Jotform is quick and easy, allowing you to drag and drop items from PDF-based files. Consider giving it a try.

Wondering whether you should book direct or use a connecting flight? While generally more cheaper than flying directly, travellers need to be aware of the added costs involved when connecting through different airports. Ask yourself: Will the connecting flight mean a stayover until the morning? Will you need a change of clothes for your next flight? What facilities are available at the connecting airport? What are the comparative travel costs if the connecting flight is at a different airport?
 

Travel Insurance

Many unforeseen circumstances will crop up during your journey. Travel insurance is essential to ensuring you have peace of mind if your luggage is lost or stolen or should a flight cancellation occur. Nothing is more frustrating than reorganising your flight schedule because a connecting flight was delayed or cancelled.

This is another good reason to book through a travel agent, who will reorganise your schedule for you and take some of the inevitable stress away should you find yourself sitting in a country you were only connecting to. On top of this, your travel agent will likely have planned or factored in insurance for your travel prior to your flight.
 

Packing for Business Travel

Business success is defined by due diligence and, of course, a little luck. The same can be said when travelling for business. Include the following essential items when plotting out your next overseas trip itinerary.

• Medication
• Plug adapter (country specific)
• Laptops, iPads, all the essential tech including chargers and cables (a spare is often handy)
• Two USB Sticks (8Gb)
• A pin code security lock
• Ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones
• Anti-bacterial wipes and zip-lock bags
• A power bank

Wellness while travelling

Frequent travellers will tell you that practising wellness techniques and having your thoughts in the right space is essential to prepare. There are parts of the journey that all of us like the least. From long, arduous plane flights to sitting in a line at customs, all of these factors can have a negative impact on your journey if you're not mentally prepared.

• Ensure you stay properly hydrated during the flight
• Ensure you're well-rested and have had enough sleep before a flight
• Keep up with your daily routines as much as possible and eat healthily
• Practicing mindfulness

There are, in fact, a host of ways in which to incorporate the philosophy of mindfulness into your travels. We'll be going into greater detail in a later article. Nonetheless, we hope these travel tips are useful for your next journey. Stay safe out there!

Read our previous article here

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