Since the last newsletter I have received some great contributions from ABN members. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them and acknowledge their input into this article. A special thank you to Claire (an ABN member and Qantas Flight Attendant) for offering her tips to surviving travel as a profession!
So – you’ve survived the flight! These Travel Tips will now take you through the airport and into your hotel.
Arriving at the Airport
Beware of friendly people at airports offering you deals that seem too good to be true – they usually are, and women travelling alone are considered easy targets. Try to look confident. If you’re unsure about where to go, find the airline representative or ask the cabin crew before you leave the aircraft.
If you are unfamiliar with the airport and how to get to your hotel, either ask your travel agent or your business associates to organise prepaid transfers for you. It can be such a relief after a long flight to have someone waiting for you.
If you are a seasoned traveller and familiar with the territory, you can save time and money by catching the train into the city centre and getting a cab from there to your hotel. I would only recommend this to those of you who have the time and are prepared for an adventure.
As an experienced, independent traveller, I always enjoy the challenge busy inter-national airports pose. I remember arriving in Rome with a group of colleagues. After the long flight from Australia, all we wanted to do was get to the hotel. As we stood around our mound of luggage (I’ve already quashed the travelling light myth!) looking bewildered and jet lagged, we were sitting ducks for the astute conman! We negotiated a great deal for a limousine transfer into the city – all five of us and our luggage. Well, having walked a couple of kilometres to the ‘limo’, we discovered that five people and seven suitcases squeezed into a little Fiat can be worse than travelling economy on a long flight! Our bags were crammed into the boot, strapped on the roof and one on either side of the doors! Needless to say, it was an experience not worth repeating.
Remember to have some local currency – depending on your time of arrival, the currency exchange bureaus may not be open.
Hotels
Know the check-in and check-out times and make arrangements if you arrive early or leave late so you have access to your room (sometimes at extra cost) or a hospitality suite. Your travel agent can arrange this for you.
Prepaid hotel packages can be a great saving – and less hassle when you’re there. These can often be more compet-itively priced than corporate rates. The Qantas Holidays Stopover brochure offers a huge range of options in most destinations – again, your indispensable travel agent will know the best deals available.
Some large international hotel chains have frequent-stay clubs – operating on a similar principle to the airlines’ frequent flyer clubs. Benefits can include upgrades to better standards of accommodation, meal inclusions etc. A recent survey of travelling business-women conducted by Hyatt hotels found that a high proportion of women travelling alone are concerned about security issues. Some corporate hotels now offer a ‘women only’ floor which comes with extra security. However, I’m not sure that will be enough to convince my travelling colleagues who regularly push furniture in front of their doors!
Many hotels now offer non-smoking rooms. These are great if you want to wake up feeling fresh and not all stuffed up and puffy eyed.
Once in your room, beware of raiding the minibar – the charges on the items can put a sizeable dint in your travelling budget. Buy a supply of snacks to help you through the ‘middle-of-the-night-jet- lag-munchies’ – a well recognised side effect of long-haul travel.
Also, be discerning with the phone calls made from your room – the charges applied by many hotels can be up to 33 per cent higher than normal rates. Try to use your mobile phone, where possible.
Final Thoughts
If you’re travelling regularly to a country where English is not the first language, it’s definitely worth enrolling in a language class. ABN member, Anita Galliford from the Vocational Language Learning Centre in North Sydney, offers some terrific short courses that range from basic survival conversation through to advanced business language skills. We both agree that the rapport built by showing the interest and effort required to converse in your business colleagues’ native tongue goes a long way to maintaining a strong business relationship.
The Key to Survival?
Don’t be caught unprepared – plan for everything. Good luck with your travels and business!
