There’s a word popping up in the travel industry, and although we try not to use it (you’ll understand why in a second), it really does sum up a way of travelling that business travellers are starting to lean towards: bleisure. Cringes
Awful word, right? But the concept is exactly what we’re all about here at Your Business Travel.
How can I turn business travel into a holiday?
Business travellers are starting to realise that travelling for work doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, when done right, business trips can be leveraged to help you discover new destinations on your own terms, not just from the inside of a conference room.
So before you book your next business trip, take a look at these tips to learn whether you could use business travel to help you book your next holiday.
Extend your business trip
The most expensive element of going on holiday is arguably the cost of your flights. But if your company is already paying for you to travel to a destination for work, why not tag on a bit of time before or after the dates you’re working so you can explore on your own?
You’ll have to pay for accommodation and expenses of course, but that’s still a whole lot cheaper than if you were to book it all from scratch.
Many companies will be happy to extend your journey as it won’t cost much (if anything) extra – and if you’re arriving a few days early you’ll be over your jet lag and feeling fresh for the work you’ve travelled there for.
If you don’t have any vacation allowance, ask to fly home on the Sunday instead of the Friday, or arrive in the destination on the Saturday instead of the Monday, so you can enjoy a weekend without having to use up any of your annual leave.
Use airline miles from business trips
If you fly a lot for work, chances are you’ve accrued airline miles along the way. These are usually yours to use, so if you save them up you’ll be able to fly yourself somewhere nice on your next holiday (or use them for an upgrade to travel in comfort).
To maximise your points, try to fly with the same airline wherever possible, and make sure you always provide your membership number to whoever is booking your travel.
As always, check your company policies to make sure you’re not breaking any rules!
Use business hotel points
In the same way, if you’re often booking business accommodation with the same hotel brand, you might be able to accrue points, which can add up to free hotel nights in future.
Always check with a hotel if they have a loyalty programme, or make a reservation using websites like Booking.com or Expedia, which both offer loyalty perks for companies that frequently book accommodation.
The bonus of programmes like these is that you don’t have to be loyal to a hotel brand, as that’s not always possible.
Make the most of business expenses
Depending on your company policy, you might be able to turn business expenses into points (or even cash) that you can use for your own travel in the future.
If you use a personal credit card for expenses and claim them back later, make sure you’re using a card that offers the most value – this could be cash back, airline points, or other travel perks (for example, some American Express cards offer access to their airport lounges).
If you use a work credit card and it doesn’t offer points, speak to your finance team to see if they’ll consider switching to a card that works harder for the business (and for you).
Explore in your spare time
Even if none of the above options apply to you, that doesn’t mean you can’t explore while you’re in a new destination for business.
Get up early and find a local breakfast spot that’s highly rated on Yelp, skip a non-compulsory dinner with colleagues to catch a show or see a famous attraction, or do some research and be the one to suggest the bars and restaurants that you want to visit when your colleagues are booking evening events.
Granted, it’s not the same as going on your own holiday where you can relax by the pool with a book in one hand and a cocktail in another, but with just a little bit of imagination, it’s easy to transform a business trip into an opportunity to explore somewhere new!
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