Your Business Travel Checklist: Plan For Success!

Business travel can be a frustrating thing. Going abroad briefly can seem like a tease when the only sightseeing you get is a meeting room or the inside of a hotel. This nuisance is only exacerbated if the travel notice is last minute – how can you make the most of such a short time? Is it possible to squeeze a proper, substantial holiday experience into a couple of days?

With a little help and guidance, it is. It requires tight arrangement and careful planning to maximise those precious free hours but you can still indulged in pleasure – don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

This checklist has tons of tips that even the most seasoned business traveller can use to make the most of their time away from the office.

Book Flights and Accommodation as Early as Possible

Yes, yes, it’s obvious, isn’t it? But it doesn’t mean it always happens! This is important because flight times can frame the whole holiday, and savvy hotel locations can reduce taxis or public transport while maximising fun.

Get Your Business Travel InsuranceSorted ASAP

This point may seem self-explanatory, but who knows what terrible fate could befall your laptop, or, more importantly, you? Injuries can strike anywhere at any time! Make sure you cover yourself, regardless of how short your business trip is.

Set an Itinerary

Make sure you receive detailed information from your hosts about when the conference or meetings are. It’s important to know what time you’ll have available to yourself – there’s no point planning a museum visit if you’re only free when it’s closed. Research to find interesting cultural spots that fit into your schedule easily.

Have All Documents in One Place and in Order

This can save loads of time and stress if all travel paperwork is where it is meant to be. This includes any business papers you’ll be using – that is the point of your trip, after all.

Streamline Electronics

Get plug adaptors and whatever else you may need to keep work time as efficient as possible. Also, be sensible – you won’t be needing speakers for a hotel room you’ll barely use.

Pack Lightly and Smartly

Pack according to your itinerary and only take what is necessary (although be sure to bring a spare outfit because you never know when an extra set of clothes will be called for).

Planning is the name of the game. The whole point is to maximise the short time you have available by not dithering before and during the trip. With some research, thought and planning, a lot can be squeezed into little trip. And don’t forget your business travel insurance – it covers most potential problems, and leaves you to your work (and maybe even some play).

Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of InsureMore, an award-winning team of specialists in global single trip, family, annual and business travel insurance policies. Besides offering great deals on travel insurance, Patrick also collects and shares the best free travel competitions to help his clients get the most out of their holidays.