Corporate Travel

Just as the name implies, corporate travel refers to someone traveling for business purposes. Business people travel for a number of reasons including meetings with clients, attending training sessions, attending conferences, and for other corporate events. The expenses related to business travel such as airfare, hotel accommodations, meals, and other expenses and fees related to attending business events are usually paid for by the businesses that employ corporate travelers, rather than by the travelers themselves.

Corporate travel is on the rise, and many travel related industries such as hotels, airlines, meeting and convention facilities, and car rental agencies are competing to attract those who are traveling on business. They provide amenities and other features that will appeal to someone who is planning on doing business while traveling. Many of these companies have created loyalty programs to reward travelers who use their services frequently, and many business travelers belong to at least one loyalty program in an effort to keep the costs of frequent business travel to a minimum.

Business travel differs from other types of travel in that travelers tend to be willing to spend more money than leisure travelers on items such as hotel accommodations and restaurants. Unlike leisure travel, corporate travel does not really have a peak season. With meetings, conferences, and other corporate events taking place throughout the year, corporate travel can take place during any season.

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In an effort to lure business travelers to use their services often, and convince them to spend more money, airlines are upgrading in areas related to corporate travel. First class has been turned into “business class” to encourage business travelers to buy a first class ticket rather than a coach ticket. The airlines make their business class sections seem more appealing by offering extra luxuries to those who book corporate travel.

Roomier seats with more elbow room and legroom are just one of these perks. Although the extra room is nice for any traveler, those who are traveling on business will really appreciate the ability to spread out a bit as they work. For those flying for corporate travel, the roomier seats mean more space to set up laptops and other work related materials.

Although airlines are notorious for the awful fare they offer travelers, many airlines have been encouraging corporate travel by offering better meals to those who sit in business class. It may not seem like that much of a perk, but for the business traveler who spends a portion of every week flying, better meals may be a deciding factor when the time comes to choose an airline for corporate travel.

Something else that is showing up in the business class of many of the major airlines are electrical outlets. The ability to plug in a laptop computer is a big plus for many who are flying for business travel, especially on flights which last longer then the charge in their computer battery.

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When booking corporate travel, there are a number of things business travelers look for in a hotel. One of the most important considerations when choosing accommodations is location. Many of the hotels that cater to business travelers are located near an airport or close to a city’s business area. This makes it easy for business travelers to navigate between the hotel, business meetings, and the airport.

Transportation is another important factor those engaging in corporate travel are concerned with, and hotels interested in attracting business travelers know this. These hotels often have shuttles between the hotel and the major business districts in an area. They also may offer assistance in procuring taxis or car services for their business clientele.

Internet access is another selling point hotels use to attract business travelers. Most people traveling for business need to connect to the Internet at some point. Most hotels seeking corporate travel business now offer in-room Internet access. Some other options they may offer are a computer with Internet access available to guests in a lounge area or wireless Internet access throughout the hotel.

A final way hotels are encouraging business travelers to frequent them is to offer extremely efficient service. All travelers, whether on a business or a leisure trip, expect good service from hotel staff. It’s of vital importance, however, for hotels that want to be competitive when seeking return business from corporate travelers. Most people traveling on business are on tight schedules with quick turnarounds from airport to hotel to meetings and back to the airport. With a hectic schedule, business travelers need fast service from hotel staff to make sure they arrive promptly at meetings and flights.

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As corporate travel increases, so does the demand for rental cars. For business travelers who are pressed for time and need to stay on schedule, renting a car is often a better option than relying on public transportation to get around. There are a number of things car rental agencies are providing for business travelers to get them to return again and again.

One of the most important features that car rental agencies are providing for those engaged in corporate travel is clean, reliable cars. No travelers like to get stuck on the side of the road when a rental car breaks down, but it’s even more vital to business travelers that the car they rent is in excellent running condition. A breakdown can cost them time and money, and will most likely ensure that the agency will not be getting repeat business. With this in mind, many car rental agencies are upgrading their cars and maintenance schedules to make sure they are providing their business clients with only the most reliable vehicles.

Another issue car rental agencies are addressing when it comes to business travel is availability of cars in many locations. To keep the loyalty of the business traveler, car rentals must be available in every location people do business. The top car rental agencies can provide service in even the most remote locations.

A new service many car rental agencies are offering their corporate clients is a pick up service. For the time pressed business traveler, this service can be invaluable. A representative from the car rental agency can pick you up with a car from the airport, hotel, or corporate event.

Of course, when faced with car rental agencies that are all offering similar services to those involved in corporate travel, choosing a rental agency usually boils down to price. To attract and keep the business of corporate travelers, car rental agencies are offering more and more discounts for the business traveler including special promotions, frequent renter programs, and other incentives.

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Corporate travel brings up new issues when it comes to packing. Business travelers are unique when it comes to their packing needs. Many of them are weighed down by more than just carry-on luggage. They are often boarding a plane with a laptop, briefcase, and presentation materials in hand. In addition, they need to bring the clothing and toiletries they need for the length of their stay. On top of this, business travelers don’t want to get bogged down with the hassle of waiting for their luggage or having to track down lost bags. Too often, their meetings would be over before an airline can help them locate lost items. Therefore, the best tip for those involved in business travel when it comes to packing is to pack light.

Trying to pack light for corporate business may seem difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. The most important step in packing light for corporate travel is choosing the right luggage. If at all possible, business travelers should try to carry on bags rather than checking them, as this will save them the time and hassle of waiting at the baggage claim. Therefore, the best luggage for the business traveler should be the appropriate size for carrying onto a plane. It’s also helpful if the bag a business traveler chooses has outside pockets to hold things that will need to be removed such as laptops and travel documents.

When it comes to packing for a business trip, there are several things business travelers can do to lighten their loads. The first is to purchase travel-sized toiletries. There is no reason to bring full-sized shampoo bottles or toothpaste, if a business traveler won’t be gone for more than a few days. Another way to ease the baggage burden is to wear your suit onto the plane. It can be touched up with a warm iron at the hotel, if needed. Wearing a suit means the business traveler will only have to pack mix and match separates such as shirts, ties, blouses, and shoes that coordinate with the suit to make it look as if they’re wearing a new outfit each day.

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Those involved in corporate travel should definitely take advantage of the loyalty programs offered by most major airlines, hotels, and car rental agencies. Loyalty programs involve earning points for each mile a business person travels, each night’s hotel stay, or each car rental. Business travelers can rack up points for frequently using the same hotel, airline, or car rental agency which can then be cashed in for discounted or free hotel stays, air travel, or car rentals.

Many credit cards now offer travel rewards for business travelers, as well. For each dollar a business person spends using a credit card, they earn points which can be redeemed for travel rewards. Some credit card companies also allow corporate travelers to use rewards points on things such as restaurants and tickets to sporting events, concerts, or the theater. The credit cards which offer travel rewards are also tempting because they allow card holders to earn rewards points for every purchase they make whether travel related or not, offering extra points when the card is used at specific hotels, airlines, or car rental agencies.

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As employers are usually the ones who foot the bill for corporate travel, it’s important that those traveling on business keep careful records of their expenses. This means keeping receipts for every business related expense they incur while traveling including air fare, meals, hotel accommodations, car rentals, public transportation, entry fees to trade shows and other corporate events, and anything else related to corporate business travel.

If corporate travel involves a road trip, business travelers should find out if employers cover the cost of gas and mileage on their car. They should be sure to ask for receipts for items such as gas and tolls.

The records of business related expenses will also come in handy when tax time roles around, especially if those involved in corporate travel are responsible for writing off their own travel expenses. In this case, it’s important that business travelers keep receipts and detailed expense reports. Relying solely on credit card statements to prove business travel expenses is not a great idea.

Business travelers should make keeping receipts from business related expenses organized a priority. Having a system of organization while traveling means that it will be much easier to organize receipts and get an expense report into the company as soon as possible. For business travelers who are not reimbursed for their travel until an expense report is filed, keeping things organized means they will be able to quickly file reports with little hassle, and be reimbursed for their expenses that much sooner. Keeping receipts organized will also ensure that the corporate business traveler is able to easily separate business from personal expenses.

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As corporate travel increases, travel management companies are growing. Travel management companies are basically travel agents who specialize in planning corporate travel. These companies are aware of the special needs of those traveling for business rather than leisure, and tailor their services to meet those needs.

Businesses hire travel management companies for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that it saves them the time and money of making travel arrangements themselves. Businesses, for which frequent travel is commonplace, may find that the time involved in making corporate travel arrangements themselves is not cost effective. These businesses feel that the time and money they save by outsourcing to a travel management company offsets the expense.

Another reason businesses use travel management companies is that they save money on travel. Travel management companies use the latest travel technology to seek out the best rates for airlines, hotel accommodations, car rentals, and more. These companies are also offered discounts that the businesses themselves would not be eligible for because they book a high volume of corporate travel packages.

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Before hiring a travel management company to handle their corporate travel, there are several things a business should consider. The first is whether or not a travel management company is affiliated with any particular hotel, airline, or car rental agency. If this is the case, the travel management company may only book business travel with that one particular company, rather than searching out the best travel deals.

Travel management companies should also be using the latest technology to find the best rates for business travelers. This should combine computer searches of the best fares available with actual travel agents who oversee the travel planning to ensure their clients have their business travel needs met.

Finally, travel management companies should provide excellent customer service. The purpose of handing the business travel planning over to a travel management company is to make business travel as hassle-free as possible, at the best price possible. Many travel management companies offer twenty-four hour customer service and support to their customers to ensure those traveling for corporate business can get in touch with them about questions and concerns about their travel plans at any time of day or night.

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