When you’re gearing up for your next business trip, you know it’s going to be something special. After all, it’s going to be the first time your business partner is going to meet with their clients, the first time you’re going to present your company’s strategies to your colleagues, and the first time you’ll have the chance to explore a new city, a new country, and a whole new world. The only question is: how are you going to do it?

With the help of this guide, you’ll discover everything you need to know about overseas travel as a businessperson. From travel insurance to safety precautions, and tips for making the most of your trips, we’ve done all the hard work so that you can get packing.

 

1. Prepare your company for the trip

Before you leave, make sure that you’ve shared everything you need to know with your company’s administration. In particular, you should make sure that they know:

• When you’re going to travel, and where you’re going
• Who you’re meeting with, what you’ll be talking about, and where you’ll be meeting
• Where you’ll be staying and what your travel plans are
• Whether you’ll be coming back with any important news or products
• How your trip will impact the company and your team

2. Plan ahead

The first step in planning an overseas trip is to decide where you would like to go. As a business traveller, you’ll naturally be looking for destinations that are exotic, new, and different from the places you usually visit.

Once you’ve got a few options in mind, the next step is to go over each one’s travel policies and safety precautions. This is the easiest way to make sure that you’re travelling to a safe place.

3. Arrange business meetings

If your company is based in the same country as the clients you’re meeting with, you can save yourself a lot of time and effort by arranging business meetings in advance. Successful meetings will shorten the amount of time it takes for you to create a strong business relationship with your clients.

When arranging meetings, make sure you’re clear about the purpose of the meeting. For example, are you trying to build a long-term relationship? Or, are you trying to gain insight into your clients’ businesses so that you can help them with their challenges?

To simplify the process, you can create a meeting template that includes all the information that’s relevant to your meetings. This template can include details like the meeting’s start time, location, meeting agenda, and who you should contact if you have any questions.

4. Research your destination

Now you have a general idea of where you’d like to travel to, the next step is to find out as much as you can about the destination. This includes its history, culture, and any unique features about the place.

This may seem like an obvious step, but you’d be surprised how few business travellers do this. You don’t need to read every book written about the destination you’re visiting, but you should take the time to do some online research.

You can find reputable websites, like Lonely Planet, Wikitravel, and the city’s tourism website to get a better idea of what to expect. The city may have a great website with lots of detailed info, but if you don’t know how to navigate it, you’re going to miss out on a lot of great info.

Keep in mind that while some of the information on these websites may be out-of-date, it’s still better than nothing.

5. Arrange airport transfers and arrange accommodation

Now that you know a bit more about the destination you’re visiting, you can move on to the next step: finding a way to get there.

To make the journey easier for yourself, you should arrange for a reliable transfer service. You can find one by asking your hotel or transferring your flights through a reliable travel agency.

Another way you can make the trip easier is by booking accommodation ahead of time. You don’t need to book a huge suite with a swimming pool, but you should make sure that you’re staying in a safe and comfortable place.

If you’re booking your accommodation through a travel agency, make sure that you ask about cancellation policies. If you need to cancel your trip due to a work emergency, you may be able to cancel your trip and get a full refund, but you’ll have to pay a cancellation fee.

6. Get a grip on safety precautions

Now that you’re aware of the best time for you to go on your next overseas trip, you’re probably wondering what security precautions you need to take. To keep your business trips safe and productive, here are some basic tips that you can follow while you’re travelling.

• Keep your passport and a copy of your passport itinerary in a safe place, such as your home or your office.
• Make sure you have your passport valid for at least six months after your return home, as well as at least two blank pages in your passport.
• Take your passport and a copy of your itinerary with you when you travel.
• If you’re travelling outside the country, don’t let your passport expire while you’re away.

7. Make travel arrangements

When you’re planning your trip, keep two things in mind: how you’ll get there and how you’ll get around while you’re there. To get to and from your destination safely, you’ll first want to research and compare the best airlines, flight prices, and flight times for the route you’ll be taking.

When it comes to getting around, you can use a variety of different methods, such as using public transportation, renting a car, or using taxis. You should also make sure to bring plenty of extra cash with you in case your mode of transportation stops working.

8. Make the most of your trip

When you’re travelling for work, you may be spending a lot of time in airports waiting for flights. This is especially the case if you’re travelling across the Pacific.

Try to make the most of those hours in the airport by doing a few things. First, plan a few enjoyable ways to kill time. Next, see if there are any interesting or educational things happening at the airport.

If you’re travelling by plane, consider bringing your entertainment device. This is especially important if you want to watch movies or TV shows while on a long flight. You can even download a few business resources on your device and kill time while you’re away from the office.

9. Protect yourself while abroad

As a business traveller, you want to protect your health and your wallet as much as possible. One of the best ways to protect yourself is by getting travel insurance. This will cover things like emergency medical care, lost luggage, and even rescue costs if you get stranded somewhere.

It’s important to make sure that the coverage you get is comprehensive. Don’t just get a basic policy because you think it covers everything. Read the fine print so that you know exactly what you’re getting covered for.

You may also want to consider getting a travel credit card. These cards offer extra travel protections and provide you with a significant amount of spending cash for your travels.

10. Don’t skimp on entertainment

Business travel can be very tiring, and you can easily spend more than a day in the car without any entertainment. To make your trips more enjoyable, make sure you bring along a variety of different forms of entertainment. This can include music players, books, games, movies, DVDs, and even puzzles.

Make sure you bring enough batteries as well because you will find yourself running low on power while you’re on the road. You should also make sure to download and save important documents, such as presentations or presentations materials before you leave so that you don’t accidentally delete them while you’re away from home.

11. Keep safe while you’re on the road

Once you’ve finished your meetings, the first thing you need to do is to keep safe while you’re on the road. This means that you need to pay attention to your surroundings and stay aware of your surroundings at all times. This is important for several reasons.

First, it will help you spot potential dangers in your environment. For example, it will help you spot suspicious or unfamiliar people near your hotel rooms or your business meetings.

Second, it will help you stay focused on your goals during your travels. If you’re trying to learn more about your clients and their businesses, you need to be present and think about those insights instead of everything else.

 

Bottom Line

Business travel can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can also be very stressful. You want to make sure that you travel safely and without breaking any laws, but there are some things that you can do to make it easier.

With these tips and tricks, though, you’ll be well on your way to making safe, successful trips as a business traveller. We hope that you find it helpful!