Booking Business Trips – The Guide

Booking business trips aren’t as simple and easy as it may sound. Travel managers must take care of all the travel details from flights to hotel bookings while ensuring everything aligns with the business trip itinerary.
A business trip needs to be well planned to ensure the trip is productive, business travellers are satisfied and the trip is cost-effective. But where do you start?

Below we will look at the essentials all travel managers need to consider when booking business trips.

Booking Business trips requires a lot of planning and research to ensure the business trip runs smoothly and that the business traveller has a positive experience.

1. Business trip details:

A thorough research of the business trip destination is essential. As a travel manager, you should know all the details about the place your travellers are going to. This includes knowing things like food, the language spoken, weather conditions, the safety of the area and hotel, the modes of transport, hotel distance from the airport etc. Travel managers should also be aware of any political situations, civil unrest or any other ongoing crisis. Knowing all the details about the business trip and the destination will ensure you can plan the trip and the itinerary effectively. It is important that you also pass on the information to the travellers so they are aware of all the details.

2. Company’s Travel Policies:

When booking business trips you need to stay within the company’s travel policy. A travel policy is a guideline on the various rules and regulations around business travel and allows travel managers to manage business trips more easily. A travel policy is essential as it can help reduce business travel expenses, make the booking process easier and keep it consistent. When booking flights and hotels for business travellers you need to make sure the bookings are compliant with the travel policy to ensure the company’s bottom line is maintained.

3. Deals on Flights and Hotels:

Finding the best deals and discounts for flights and hotels is an important part of booking business trips. Research dates or times that are better priced, look for flights or hotels that offer corporate discounts, make bookings well in advance, negotiate reasonable rates with hotels and compare rates of various hotels and flights to ensure you find the best deals.
Another option is using a Travel Management Company (TMC) to do everything for you. Through their industry relationships, TMCs have access to deals and rates not accessible to the general public. This means they can provide you with a wide range of flights and hotels at discounted prices.

4. Right Accommodation:

Selecting the right accommodation for your travellers is essential as this can make their travel experience either a positive or negative one. The right accommodation will ensure your travellers feel comfortable and can rest well. Travel managers need to consider the following factors when choosing accommodation:
Reviews: Reading reviews before making a booking is essential. Read online reviews from third-party websites to get an overall idea regarding the cleanliness, service, amenities, location, safety, and food quality of the hotel.
Amenities: Look for hotels that offer various amenities like a gym, swimming pool, spa, bar, restaurant etc. These amenities will help your business travellers to relax and unwind after a long day of meetings.
Location: Ensure the hotel you are booking is in a safe area and travellers can easily travel to the various places they need to get to.
Security: Safety and security should be a priority when booking hotels for business travellers. Make sure the hotels have the necessary security features to make travellers feel safe.
Food preferences: When booking a hotel consider the traveller’s meal preferences and ensure the hotel offers the food your traveller prefers.

5. Travellers’ Preferences:

Business trips should be a positive experience for business travellers, therefore, taking note of their travelling preferences is essential. Some travellers have certain flight preferences due to the airline’s service, flight times, meal choices etc. When booking flights and even hotels keep their preferences in mind and try to accommodate them as best as possible to ensure a positive experience and productive trip.