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If you fly interstate for business regularly you may at times find yourself a little travel weary, however, there are a number of things you can do to avoid the ‘burn out’ of business travel. From packing well and taking advantage of your frequent flyer points, to organising travel insurance and taking the time to explore your destination city, it’s all about being organised.
Here are seven useful tips for business travel.
Tip #1 – Be Efficient With Packing
One of the cleverest tips for business travellers is to have a go-to piece of luggage that is minimalist and sturdy but lightweight, which allows you to travel with one onboard bag rather than having to check in luggage. This saves time in transit, minimises the risk of your luggage getting lost, and, if you pack wisely, still allows room for the odd bit of duty-free shopping while you’re waiting for your flight
Another business travel hack worth remembering is to keep your business attire in their dry cleaning bags when you’re packing them. This will help minimise wrinkles, and when you arrive at your destination, simply take them out of the bag, hang them in the bathroom and every time you have a hot shower, you’ll be giving them a steam press as well!
Tip #2 – Stay Digitally Connected
When you’re travelling for business, you need to stay connected – whether it’s with important contacts or to ensure your trip runs according to plan. There are thousands of apps out there that can help make business travel both efficient and enjoyable, including ones that provide updates on flight status and restaurant reviews, to ones that give you access to traffic updates and 360-degree street views (in case you get lost on your way to that business meeting).
Other business-focused apps provide expense claim platforms, document scanning and offline email access, and of course, in order to keep the lines of communication open, there are always the basics like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Skype and FaceTime. Not on an IOS device? There are plenty of options out there for Android phones as well.
Another one of the useful tips for business travel is to ensure everything’s charged before you leave and that you make sure you take your charger/s with you. There is nothing worse than running out of juice when you’re in the middle of an important phone call or video conference!
Tip #3 - Plan Your Travel Comforts
It may only be a short flight, but you still need to ensure you arrive at your destination refreshed and ready for business. A useful business travel hack is to arm yourself with an eye mask and noise-cancelling headphones, particularly if you’re on a red-eye flight (as no doubt you were up before the sun was and might need a quick nap!).
And if you’d prefer a little entertainment just to pass the time, make sure you board with your tablet pre-loaded with music downloads, podcasts and your favourite TV shows, or load up your E-reader with a novel or a few interesting journal articles.
Tip #4 – Watch What You Eat And Drink
If you’re travelling for business a lot, it’s easy to give into the temptation of eating-on-the-run, however, airport food courts are probably not the best solution. Filled with salt and fat-laden foods they’re a convenient quick fix, but they offer meals that are generally unhealthy and won’t keep your hunger at bay for long.
Airline food can also be a bit hit-and-miss, so your best bet if you need a snack mid-trip is to pack your own. Foods high in protein including cheese and nuts will keep you feeling fuller for longer, as do travel-friendly options like energy bars and trail mixes.
And the most important business travel tip when it comes to eating and drinking? Water. Dehydration is one of the worst parts of flying and can be a major cause of fatigue. Minimise your coffee and alcohol intake and load up on H20 instead.
Tip #5 - Be Loyal To Airlines
Frequent flyer programs offer great incentives to business travellers, and the more you are loyal to an airline, the more upgrades and perks you can receive.
Even at the basic level, Qantas offers priority check-in and additional checked baggage allowances, and Virgin Australia offers valet services and advanced seat selection. Plus, when you partner with domestic airlines, you can also gain benefits on international services with the likes of Etihad, whose partnership with Virgin Australia allows you to rack up extra travel miles on international flights.
If you’re travelling for business that actually involves international travel, Singapore Airlines, with their 200+ global partners offers the opportunity to gain additional points via hotel stays and rental cars, and if you’re a regular traveller to Asia, Cathay Pacific gives you access to a range of international airport lounges.
Tip #6 – Invest In Travel Insurance
Booking travel insurance for domestic travel is another business travel tip that can save you a lot of time and money in the long run, and there are a number of reasons it makes a lot of sense.
Depending on the type and level of travel insurance you opt for, it can cover a variety of issues including if you have to cancel flights due to unexpected events. The right insurance can also cover your baggage and your belongings (including business equipment like laptops and tablets) with regards to losses or theft, and many policies also cover damage to or the theft of rental cars.
Tip #7 – Explore Away From Work
Yes, you’re on a business trip, but once the lengthy meetings, conference calls and business-oriented social events are over, take some time to explore the city you’re in. One of the tips for business travel that will help you explore your destination it to prioritise your sightseeing. Regardless of whether you’ve visited a city before, there are always new things to see and do, so make a list and try and fit one or two in when you finally have some free time.
Be strategic about your hotel location as well – the closer you are to the precincts or attractions you’d like to visit, the more likely you’ll take the time to see them. Most capital cities in Australia have a range of fantastic digital city guides as well, so pre-load the apps before you depart and then get exploring!
Travel for business in style with Hughes Limousines. Contact us on 1300 615 165 and hire one of our luxury chauffeured cars today.
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