Business trips can be interesting, but they can be demanding. Here are tips for business travel easier, better, and more enjoyable.
Most business travel is not to places like the tropical beach shown in the picture. Rather, you may find yourself rushing to a busy city that you feel you don’t have time to see.
Here are the 15 tips for business travel
- Keep a packing list
- Buy travel sized toiletries as soon as possible on your return
- Travel light so that you don’t have to check bags
- Get convenient, suitable luggage
- Check the weather forecast for your destination
- Consider immunizations and medications
- Take steps to lessen jet lag
- Carry some cash and bring an ATM card
- Place your presentations on a thumb drive
- Bring an electrical adapter for international travel
- Carry your laptop computer and important documents on board
- Wear business attire on the trip if you have a meeting within hours of your arrival
- Travel safely
- Schedule some time to see your destination or connect with people you know
- Take the opportunity to work remotely at great destination
1. Keep a packing list
This will save you time if you travel frequently on business. Here is an example of a packing list.
2. Buy travel sized toiletries as soon as possible on your return
Always have a bag of toiletries that is ready to go. Having a standard set of items will save you time. Be sure to follow the 3+1+1 rule required by the United States Transport Security Administration (TSA) that is widely accepted internationally. This requires that all containers can have no more than 3 ounces of fluid by volume (actually 3.4 ounces or 100.5 ml), all containers must fit into 1 quart-sized transparent bag, and it only allows for 1 quart-sized (1.1 liter) bag is per passenger. Exceptions are allowed for medications and expressed breast milk. Any fluid in excess of the 3+1+1 rule must be declared. Here is a handy site for converting other units to metric and vice versa.
3. Travel light so that you don’t have to check bags
For travel to multiple destinations or an overnight stay even if your bags do not completely disappear, if they are not at baggage claim when you arrive, you may not have time to get the items that you need. It can be expensive and embarrassing.
There are interesting sites covering how to travel light, use one bag, and that give tips on washing your clothes when traveling. Here are two more examples of traveling light: one that seems more from a man’s point of view and one from a woman’s viewpoint and here is Rick Steve’s advice. While these sites are not strictly about business travel, they do have useful ideas for traveling light.
For long trips, although expensive, you may consider using your hotel laundry service to help you travel light and use only carry on luggage.
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4. Get convenient, suitable luggage
If you use a suitcase, those with wheels and a handle to pull them are best. It’s also good to travel with a brief case that can stack on top of your suitcase. Then you only have one item to wheel. Carrying heavy bags for long stretches in airports is not much fun.
If you travel really light, you may find a backpack more to your liking. Very light backpacks that can be folded and placed in your suitcase are also handy.
The Ultimate Guide to Packing for Business Travel: Everything You Need to Know
5. Check the weather forecast for your destination
The Weather Channel has some useful business travel tips and provides current and longer term forecasts of the weather. This will help you with your packing and your arrangements at your destination. If you expect storms or bad weather, you could make backup arrangements for your business meetings.
6. Consider immunizations and medications
For international travel make sure that you have the appropriate immunizations in good time before your departure. For destinations where malaria is prevalent you will need to take preventive medications and likely before, during and after your trip.
During the flu season, it is best to be current on your flu shots.
Take into account what you may need for COVID.
Traveler’s diarrhea is a common enough problem during international travel that you should prepare for it.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has excellent information for travelers. It is worth checking their site before you travel, especially to a new destination. Some countries routinely require yellow fever vaccination for entry. Also, malaria can be a problem in many destinations in Africa, South America, and Asia. The CDC provides information on current diseases and outbreaks of various infectious diseases. It informs you on steps you can take to reduce your risk of contracting these illnesses.
If you take prescription medications, make sure that you will have an adequate supply that covers the possibility that you may have to delay your return trip because of unforeseen circumstances.
7. Take steps to lessen jet lag
Check the time at your destination using the World Clock. There are useful websites that address jet lag including the National Sleep Foundation, the and US National Library of Medicine.
8. Carry some cash and bring an ATM card
Obtain some of the destination currency sufficient to cover ground transportation and other expenses on your arrival at your destination.
You can generally use ATM cards can to obtain cash, and the fee is usually less than currency exchange services. Charles Schwab and others have a ATM cards which reimburse ATM service charges.
For some great suggestions see The Ultimate Guide To Traveling With Money and The Best Way To Carry Money Overseas.
9. Place your presentations on a thumb drive
If you have problems with your computer or internet access so that you can’t obtain your documents, you can use someone else’s computer and your thumb drive at your destination.
10. Bring an electrical adapter for international travel
You don’t want to arrive at your destination and find that you can’t charge your mobile phone or your laptop computer. A number of electrical adapters are available.
It is best to use a “universal” adapter. These are adapters that work in many countries. It is better to have one which is all in one unit than a collection of adapters.
If you are going to a country that you have never visited before, check online that your adapter will work there.
11. Carry your laptop computer and important documents on board
Never check your laptop, unless you can’t avoid it. It is more likely to get damaged during baggage handling than when you carry it yourself. Also, it may be stolen from your luggage or your bags may be lost or delayed.
If documents that you need at your destination are not available, you will have problems. For bulky documents, it is best if you have electronic copies on your laptop.
10 top tips for working on a plane
12. Wear business attire on the trip if you have a meeting within hours of your arrival
You wear your jeans and you pack your business clothes for that key meeting in your luggage that you check. You plan to go straight to your hotel, check in, change and go straight to the meeting.
Unfortunately, your bags are lost or delayed. What do you do now?
If you wear more comfortable clothing on the trip, you should at least have your clothes in your carry on luggage.
13. Travel safely
When traveling, you can take steps to address your safety. Here is a site with information on safety in general, including travel.
The United States Government has advice for Americans traveling abroad, including help during medical and emergencies, such as natural disasters, foreign crises, and lost or stolen passports.
Their website also has a section on staying safe while traveling. This advice includes enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) through which you would receive information from US embassies about conditions in the countries you visit.
The STEP program also helps embassies and family members to contact you in case of emergency.
The US Government also provides a useful checklist for travelers and some of it may be useful to non-US travelers.
14. Schedule some time to see your destination or connect with people you know
You may never return to some destinations that you visit on business trips. Try to take some time to see more than the route to your hotel and business meeting.
Make the effort to plan for these enjoyable activities before you travel.
If you know people at your destination, this may be a chance to visit them, meet them for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or go out sightseeing with them.
Here are some resources to plan your travel:
- Expedia: Expedia is a popular website that offers a wide range of travel booking options for flights, hotels, and car rentals. The website also provides travel packages that can save you money on your business trip.
- Kayak: Kayak is a great website that allows you to compare prices from various airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. The site also provides travel recommendations and alerts for price drops and other deals.
- TripAdvisor: Tripadvisor is a good place to start exploring places to see and stay, where to eat, and much more at your destination. The site also allows you to book your hotel and flights through their platform.
- Countries and cities: They often have websites mentioning tourist attractions – things to see and do.
- Google Flights: Google Flights is a powerful search engine that allows you to search for flights based on price, travel time, and other factors. The site also provides information on flight delays and cancellations, so you can plan accordingly.
- Airbnb: Airbnb is a great website for business travelers who are looking for unique and affordable lodging options. The site allows you to search for private homes, apartments, and other accommodations in the area you are visiting.
Overall, these websites are recommended for business travelers because they offer a variety of travel planning and booking services, as well as helpful travel recommendations and alerts.
Since additional travel will be a personal expense, it’s good to look for interesting and affordable options.
Independent travel
See this site for independent travelers. It has interesting articles and excellent pictures.
Travel on a shoestring?
The Vagabondish site has loads of interesting information on traveling in a basic and inexpensive way. If you want to travel around the world with a minimal budget while staying sufficiently connected to your clients, this is the site for you.
15. Take the opportunity to work remotely at great destination
If you have the option to work remotely, this is an option that makes work so much more enjoyable. You can do this anywhere – even at the beach.
Today, digital nomads are on the rise. According to Adam Enfroy in How to Become a Digital Nomad in 2023 (Ultimate Guide), since the book, the Digital Nomad was released in 1997:
“In the 22 years since 1997, 4.3 billion people have come online with another 3.2 billion to add to that list by 2030. Plus, 50% of the workforce will be remote by 2020.”
Actually, according to Forbes Advisor, “As of 2023, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home, while 28.2% work a hybrid model” and “By 2025, 32.6 million Americans will work remote by 2025.”
For a ranking of the best cities see Nomad List – Best Places to Live for Digital Nomads. The has good and extensive information on what life is like for a digital nomad in each of the listed places. It also has a nomad community with whom you can interact.
You may not want to be a long term digital nomad, but you can extend your stay, enjoy a new place, and keep on working.
For other posts on travel, see: Travel as an independent consultant and Top 10 travel tips for independent consultants from AI.
Here are some travel tips from TED.com staffers.
What are your tips for better business travel?
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