Top 10 Perks of Business Travel

Business travel usually has a somewhat negative connotation to it. Travel has conventionally been associated with vacation time and most expect it to be relaxing and leisurely.

Traveling for business is the opposite. It involves meetings, running around from one place, city, country to another. It’s all about hotel living but without making the most of the amenities. No time to be a tourist, there’s actually an added pressure of work that lingers on 24×7.

But, there’s a silver lining to Business Travel. In a weird way, traveling for work has its own charm, opportunities, and with the right attitude can actually be quite enjoyable.

Here are ten lessons you can learn and make the most of from Business Travel

New Places – The most obvious perk of business travel is being able to visit different parts of the world, often to smaller, less touristy places that have stayed under the radar of your average traveler. Sometimes, the true character of a country is in these small towns and work can help immerse you in its culture and traditions in the truest of form.

Food – If you’re a foodie and relish eating out, then business travel is a great way to experience cuisines at places you visit. Being short on time doesn’t mean you won’t eat, so make it local and experiment with food that is around you.

Hotels – I enjoy staying in hotels, it’s comfortable, the rooms are taken care of, and in terms of accommodation there’s little to worry about. Moreover, over the last decade the idea of business hotels has really taken off, places that are clean, chic, unique, and provide all business comforts one might need specially when staying for a short period of time.

Organization Skills /Time Management – One of the biggest advantages of business travel is that it challenges your organization skills. Because everything – meetings, flights, various bookings – are so tightly planned, when there is even a slight change – delays or cancellations – you have to reorganize your entire trip. Do you have a back-up plan? How will reach your destination? Or, would you have to make that dreaded call to a client for rescheduling? It all boils down to how good a quick thinker you are.

People – Unlike visiting a new place for the first time, when out on business, you already have a local source of information handy, your client. Whether it is information about the best place to eat, the most happening bar, or those secret hidden spots that make the city you’re in special, simply ask your client about it once the meeting is over.

Airline Miles / Hotel Points – Everyone loves collecting points and business travelers get the chance to accumulate quite a bit of hotel and airline miles thanks to their constant travels which can later be used for serious upgrades or vacation travel.

Semi-Luxurious Travel – Certain companies – or if you own your own business – allow their employees to travel in business-class on long-haul flight so that they are fresh and rejuvenated upon arrival and that’s one perk alone why I love to travel for work. Moreover, often officials get to stay in five-star hotels when representing the company who obviously doesn’t want to come across as cheap in front of their clients by making their employees stay in average residences.

Special Treatment – When you visit the same place again and again and stay at the same hotel or eat at the same restaurant, over time you start to get recognized and special treatments are a plenty for repeat customers no matter where you are in the world.

Technology – From GPS enabled luggage to laptops that change into tablets to mobile internet devices, the latest gadgets are every business travelers play toy. There’s always something new being invented and is often geared towards the industry of business travel. So, if you are even remotely a techie, you’ll have lots to choose from when traveling for business.

Going solo – Business Travel has almost all the advantages of going solo with the added benefit of having work to do which can keep you busy. Want a bit of peace and quiet, shop at your own pace, have a night cap, need time to introspect, you get to do all of that and best of all, you get to do it your way!