Corporate ventures, especially those that involve riding a plane to a different country, are equal parts exciting and stressful. After all, the opportunity to visit a new destination, connect with other professionals in your field, and contribute to high-scale company projects may come only once in a blue moon.

You’ll want to actively plan your business trip so that it goes smoothly and ensures that you’re in top form during the meeting or event. Stay on top of your business trip planning by keeping these tips from experienced travellers in mind:

1) Book the Ideal Hotel

The hotel you choose to stay in will define your business trip experience. The last place you want to stay in is a low-quality hotel that will hinder your preparations for the event.

Consider the following factors when choosing which hotel to book:

• Location. Let’s say you’re going to Singapore for your next business trip. Choosing to stay in a Singapore airport hotel reduces the time needed to travel to and from the airport, which can be convenient for shorter trips.
  
• Reviews. How satisfied were previous hotel guests? What can they say about the service of the staff, the cleanliness of their rooms, and the overall accommodation of the hotel?
  
• The duration of your stay. Will your hotel of choice be able to accommodate you for the entirety of your stay? For example, there are hotels that allow stays as short as four hours, which is perfect for shorter business meetings. On the other hand, you might need a week or two to help plan and host a corporate event.

2) Be Proactive about Finalising Your Travel Arrangements

Once you’ve booked your hotel, the next step is to finalise your travel arrangements. First, familiarise yourself with your company’s corporate travel policy, particularly about the booking process, approved business expenses, and travel safety and insurance. The policy will help clarify how you should proceed with making your travel arrangements.

Can you book everything by yourself or do you need to communicate with an office manager who will do it for you? Can you book on any booking travel platform, or does the policy require you to stick to one to consolidate the travel expenses?

Once you understand your corporate travel policy, consider all methods of transportation needed for your trip. Find out whether you will be travelling around your destination through car, train, or bus, as well as what tickets you’ll need to purchase and what backup transportation options you’ll have in place in the event of cancellations or delays.

3) Do Some Research on Your Destination

Even though you’re not going on this trip for leisure, it’s still important to research your destination. The most important thing to learn about is its culture and customs, especially if you’re trying to build connections with professionals who are locals of the destination. There may be significant cultural differences between your culture and theirs, and you wouldn’t want to accidentally cause offense. If locals speak a different language from the ones you know, it may be worth learning basic phrases, such as greetings, that show your respect towards the people.

It’s also recommended that you research other aspects of the destination. What is the weather like there, and what type of clothes should you pack for it? Does the area have any dangers you should be aware of, such as scammers? Keep these in mind as you continue your preparations.

4) Plan Your Itinerary

Your itinerary should act as your complete guide for your business trip, from the moment you step into the airport until you arrive back home. Your itinerary should include:

• The schedule of your trip. Include your flight schedule and time of arrival, as well as your overall plans during your stay. When will your business meeting or event take place? Do you have any downtime that you can use to explore the destination? What time should you check in and check out of the hotel?
  
• Transportation. These include flight details as well as any transportation methods you’ll be using.
  
• Important addresses, such as for the airport, hotel, and business meeting location.

5) Prepare The Details of Your Work-Related Engagements

Make sure that all the details for your business meeting, event, or engagement are set before the date of the business trip. This includes confirming the time, date, and location with all parties that are involved in any engagement, noting down important people’s names, and preparing your meeting materials, such as presentations, documents, or contracts.

It’s also important to have a line of communication with everyone involved, especially in case of sudden changes in plans. Confirming all these details first will help every other aspect of business trip planning fall into place.

Enjoy a Career Milestone with Your First Business Trip

If all goes smoothly, you’ll have planned out your business trip down to the last detail, ensuring success for your upcoming engagements and opening your career up for future opportunities. Don’t forget to bake in time for rest, relaxation, and cultural discovery so that your trip will be a holistically enriching one as well as a productive one.

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