7 Essential Tips for First Time Business Travellers

Holiday - 01-Oct-2019

Frequent business travellers make it look so easy. The prospect of flying across the world to attend a business meeting or conference comes perfectly natural to them. But for those who are new to business travel, it can be extremely stressful.

It's perfectly natural to feel stressed. You often have little control over your itinerary, which can make you feel out of control. You also have a hard deadline to meet. And in between your desk and that deadline are queues, traffic, flights and hotel bookings.

But fear not! Travelling overseas for work needn't be stressful. Here are 7 essential business travel tips that will relieve stress and make your journey much smoother.

Business travel essentials

• Carry on bag
• Smartphone
• Boarding Pass, visa & passport
• Spare clothes
• Hand sanitiser

1. Learn how to pack everything in your carry on

When it comes to business travel, the key is to pack light. Firstly, it means you don't have as much to carry. Secondly, if you're flying, it means you don't have to wait for a suitcase. This is why learning how to pack everything into your carry on is essential.

Smartphones are fantastic for business travel. They allow you to fit all of your documentation and itinerary notes into the palm of your hand. This is a huge space-saver.

Choosing a carry on bag with a built-in charger can save you having to take a separate charger and adapter with you.

Optimise your carry on bags by using storage cubes. These allow you to compartmentalise your space, which provides a much-needed rationale to the "real-life Tetris" packing often descends into.

With these three tools available, make sure you pack:

• Passport
• Boarding pass
• Itinerary
• Smartphone charger cable
• Earbuds
• Laptop/Tablet
• Laptop Charger
• Luggage Lock
• Earplugs & Eye Mask
• Water Bottle
• Pen

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2. Check Your Visa

This is one of the things you should check long before your business trip. Different countries have different visa requirements for different types of travel. It can be confusing, so make sure you have the right type of visa.

If you're visiting the UK, you can find out more about visas on the .Gov website.

3. Get to know the local city

Whether you're visiting a neighbouring city or flying overseas for business, it pays to find out more about the local area. Learn the currency, some local phrases and get to know the local transport systems.

Business travel is more than flights and hotels. Don't fall back on taxis to get around. In cities like London, the Underground is often a faster way to get to your business meeting. You should also take the time to find some decent places to eat near your hotel.

As part of our commitment to the business traveller, we offer day-use rooms, ideal for those looking for a comfortable and quiet place to rest and freshen up before that big meeting.

4. Master the art of flying for business

As mentioned, taking just a carry on bag will make your business flight much easier. But there are a few other things you can do.

When you book your flights, don't forget to keep enough time for a layover – especially in countries with immigration procedures. A good amount of time is between 2.5 and 3 hours.

If you're going to take the long-haul flight, don't even think about traveling in a suit. Go for comfortable clothes and trainers. A zip up hoodie is a surprisingly versatile piece of clothing, which makes it great for business travel.

5. Take into account jet lag and know how to handle it

Crossing the time zones with long-haul flights means you have to deal with jet lag. This can seriously hamper your ability to perform at your best when you arrive at your meeting. What's worse, is that usually, business travel doesn't allow you a couple of days to get over jet lag. Here are 2 solid tips:

Pick the right time to fly

If you're flying east, fly in the evening and get some sleep on the plane. If you're going west, take the morning flight and stay awake. This will help you minimise the effects of jet lag when flying for business.

Don't drink and fly

Sleeping on a plane is hard, but don't rely on alcohol to put you to sleep. Alcohol at altitude will increase your tiredness, cause dehydration and will make it even harder to beat the jet lag. Save it for when you land.

6. Stay at the same hotels when you travel

Some business travellers have the luxury (or chore) of choosing their accommodation. If this is the case for you, think twice before grabbing the cheapest room.

Choose a hotel based on its location. Consider how close it is to good restaurants, your clients, places to relax etc. If you book the same place every time, you can build up a rapport with the staff, which has many perks. You can also take advantage of any loyalty schemes they have. If you're travelling a lot for business, these benefits stack up fast.

7. Stay healthy

Travelling can take it out of you. And when you're tired and stressed, it's all too easy to grab some fast food. But, if you want to make your business travel easier and more productive, do everything you can to stay healthy.

Pack your own snacks for any non-flight travel and keep alcohol to a minimum. Carry a water bottle to stay hydrated and try to travel when it's quieter. During rush hours, petrol fumes and sickness from other commuters can bring you down fast. If you do have to travel on busy public transport, use hand sanitiser. Not only does it keep you safe, it keeps other people safe, too.

London Specific Business Travel Tips

Our capital is one of the busiest business destinations in the world. If you're visiting from the other side of the world, or just the other side of the M25, there are a few things you should know:

• Stand on the right had side of all escalators. The left side is for traffic
• Download the City Mapper app or pick a map up from a tube station
• Don't feed the pigeons - you can risk being fined
• Enjoy your time in London! If you have time any spare time for pleasure activities, check out how you can see London in a day

Business travel made easy

At Grange Hotels, our central location means we get a lot of business travellers, and we understand your needs better than most. Located in one of the largest business capitals in the world, our London hotels are designed to meet the needs of business travellers. So, when you're next in London for business, book a stay at Grange Hotels.