All work and no play makes business travel dull. On your next business trip, don’t forget the “travel” part of the experience. Here are a few tips to maximize the fun, so you can work hard and play hard.
How to Make Business Travel Fun
Plan. This one cannot be stressed enough. Planning a trip with unlimited time is hard enough, but making the most out of small windows and limited time frames? That requires extensive forethought. If you organise your meetings and plan accordingly, you can leave yourself with larger windows for exploring and less travel time.
Research. Before even arriving at your destination, make sure you’ve done ample research and are in tune with the must-see attractions, hidden gems and of - course local customs. You may be used to eating dinner at 6-7pm, but if your business trip is in Spain, be prepared for a 10pm bite instead.
Stay in a well-connected neighborhood. Choose a central location for your base so you can quickly access all surrounding areas.
Alternatively, you can choose to stay in the center of your city’s nightlife or cultural institutions, drastically cutting your commute time to those specific destinations. Think about your particular plans and travel style and book accordingly.
Book a tour. If you have several hours or even a full day to yourself, consider booking a tour rather than taking the plan into your own hands. The tour companies will take the stress out of planning, and likely even pick you up and drop you off at your chosen destination.
Hold on to routine. Your day-to-day routine helps keep you sane, so hold on to it as hard as you can! This may mean taking advantage of your hotel’s gym, leaving yourself extra time for that morning run, or picking a new cafe for your evening brainstorm session. Just because you’re not at your home base doesn’t mean you can’t feel at home.
Pair up with a local. These days, there are plenty of websites that allow you to pair with locals with shared interests, such as Meetup. Explore the scene in your destination and find a companion or group to hit the town with.
Make business dinners delicious (and convenient!). Dreaming of a specific culinary institute or cafe? Take your clients or colleagues there! Likewise, if you’re the one in charge of organising the meeting spots or restaurants, choose a location near a cultural institution or place of interest for you. That way you can squeeze in a trip to see that famous statue in between those business meetings.
