Tried and Tested Travel Tips for Business Trips

Tried and Tested Travel Tips for Business Trips Tried and Tested Travel Tips for Business Trips 9 Sep 2014 Travelling for business can be a love hate relationship. On one hand, having the opportunity to see the world is why many choose certain careers in the first place. Frequent travel, however, can be tiring and expensive. Striking the balance between economy and enjoyment on a business trip is a common difficulty, but it doesn't have to be that way â€" we have some tried and tested tips to help ease the transition from tense traveler to citizen of the world.   Before You Go To get the best mix of cost effectiveness and comfort, planning ahead is a must. How far ahead? Some travel experts would go as far to say a year in advance due to cheap flights and hotel rates. Conferences cannot be changed in terms of timing, but if you simply need to arrange meetings with internationally based branches, use Skyscanner to determine when the cheapest time of year or month would be to fly. Planning in advance can also help you to take advantage of services like Air bnb, a service which allows users to have a hotel experience while staying in a local resident’s home. Various price points are available, and the popular service even includes options in castles and luxury villas â€" planning in advance really can pay. At this stage, clarify exactly what can and cannot be expensed, which will help you to budget well in advance within your limitations. One aspect of this well planned budget could include tipping; many travel guides make sure to include tipping rules, and it’s useful to pay attention to them - they could save you money if you’re used to tipping in your home country. For example, there are countries where it is not customary to tip as nearby as Belgium, and as much as it may feel unnatural, it will feel far better when you see an improvement in your bank balance upon your return. Expect the unexpected; that reasonably priced emergency charger in your local supermarket won’t be so reasonably priced once you get to your destination â€" in fact, it might not be there at all. It’s better to plan for small expenses initially for genuinely useful items or services, rather than go through a significant cost and stress later on.   While You're There Who you travel with will have a significant impact on your spending habits. If they think nothing of dining 5 star every night, then your attempts to lead a cost effective lifestyle will quickly flounder. Instead, ensure everyone has similar intentions when it comes to spending, or at the very least make them aware of yours. It could lead those who would usually spend more to realise the great experience they could be having for far less. It's a small tip, but a great one - bring a refillable water bottle. The space it takes up in your luggage is worth it, given how expensive bottled water can be in certain countries.   And Finally... Do you really have to go? With all the technology at our fingertips today, it’s not always necessary to get on a plane and meet up face to face. Being physically there will build relationships with your colleagues, but assess the necessity behind going and see if instead a series of Google Hangouts or Skype sessions could be put in place to ensure that the same contact and sharing is maintained.   Got some travel tips of your own? Just leave them in the comments below, or let us know via @EdenScottLtd