Traveling Internationally for Business? Things to Keep in Mind

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Traveling Internationally for Business? Things to Keep in MindTraveling internationally is an entirely different ballgame than continental travel. From prep to safety, there are many things to keep in mind to ensure a secure and successful trip. Before traveling abroad, make sure you have all your bases covered with these helpful tips from the business travel agents at GTI Travel.

Passport

Apply for your passport well in advance of travel to avoid excess fees. Your key identification, always store a backup copy separate bag from the original, leaving one at home in case of loss/theft as well.

Schengen Visa

U.S. citizens may travel to the 26 member countries of the European Schengen area for up to 90-days with no need to apply for a business Schengen visa. U.S. residents of another nationality may require a visa, however, depending on heritage.

U.S. Global Entry

Skip long lines at customs when reentering the country, getting home faster with the U.S. Global Entry program. A few months in advance, fill out the application, go through the screening process, and pay the $100 fee (5-year term), and all you’ll need to reenter the U.S. after business travel abroad is a quick check-in via electronic kiosk. This will also qualify you for a TSA PreCheck, speeding up the security screening process as well. Learn more.

Phone Service

Even if you don’t plan on making calls during business travel, be sure your phone offers international calling, verifying rates or purchasing a temporary phone that will work at your end destination. Phone service is essential in travel emergencies.

Transportation

Public transportation and taxis aren’t as reliable in other parts of the world. Before you leave, be certain your corporate travel planners have lined-up reliable transportation by a licensed driver.

Vaccinations

Depending on where you are traveling you may need additional travel vaccinations to ensure you don’t contract contagious diseases. Stay safe with our Travel Vaccination Guide.

Travel Insurance

Your current health insurance policy may not cover your care if you get sick/injured abroad. Avoid insurance surprises with additional travel insurance.

Travel Advisories

With today’s rapidly changing political climate, as well as climate extremes, it is essential to stay abreast of the latest travel advisories before and during international travel. Learn how you can stay connected.

Emergency Contact Information

Before leaving, arm yourself with the address and contact information of your destination’s U.S. embassy/consulate, nearby hospitals, and evacuation centers, keeping them with you at all times. Also keep numbers for your manager and loved ones back home.

Valuables

Leave any unnecessary valuables, such as jewelry and tech, at home. These can make you a target. Necessary valuables, such as your passport and cash/cards, should not be carried together. Separate money and identification and carry these in separate spots on your person so you don’t lose everything in the event your wallet/purse is stolen. Avoid using your back pockets. Keep items at your front, on your lap, or directly under your feet. Track cash, cards, and your passport, checking their whereabouts regularly and carefully.

Ensure your upcoming international trip is a success with the help of the corporate travel management services of GTI Travel today.

Risk in Travel: Is Your Company Even Considering These?

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Risk in Travel: Is Your Company Even Considering These?Are you overlooking travel risks intimately linked not only to today’s polarized social and political climate, but environmental issues such as floods, fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters as well? Trends show, while travelers frequenting business travel services worldwide are becoming increasingly aware of travel dangers, business owners and managers are living in ignorance of or simply overlooking how close their workers are coming to danger.

Rising Trend

Leading business travel agencies are taking note of an Inofact poll of 7,400 people across Europe. The survey unveiled nearly half (48-percent) of business travelers would decline traveling for work if those travels took them to and locale they considered unsafe based on their perceptions or official government travel advisories. Even more horrifying, 16-percent of Dutch travelers, 19-percent of Italian travelers, and 23-percent of British travelers revealed they were involved in or close to serious incidents while away traveling for work last year. For French travelers, the number was significantly higher, at 35-percent. Overall, 18-percent of travelers were in close proximity to or involved in situations like floods, earthquakes, health epidemics, riots, and terrorist attacks.

Business Blinders

Encountering dangerous social or political scenarios while traveling abroad for work comes with serious ramifications. When there is a flood, health epidemic, or riot, employees may be unable to access critical medications such as those for diabetes, cancers, and severe respiratory issues like asthma. These things put the traveler’s well-being and ultimately their life at serious risk. And employers often fail to realize what role corporate ‘duty of care’ responsibilities play when their employees are involved in travel incidents, completely dismissing them in the worst cases. In Europe as a whole, when travelers were involved in such events, no action was taken by employers in 17-percent of cases. Concerns may have been listened to, but nothing was done. For 6-percent of the whole, and a staggering 21-percent of Brits, their concerns were neither acknowledged or attended.

Are You Overlooking Duty of Care Responsibilities Alongside Today’s Travel Risks?

Employers have a moral and legal responsibility for the health, safety, and security of business travelers beyond common boilerplate of travel expense policy guidelines. Those that wish to stand the test of time understand the ultimate corporate expense management solution ensures the functionality and success of their business over the long-haul. To that end, it is essential to remain aware and attentive to today’s top business travel risks. Are you overlooking…

  • The health and overall wellness of employees, including common diseases like cold and flu up to and including heart attacks and stroke from stress and fatigue?
  • Aircraft collisions, such as the recent Boeing Max 737 incidents overseas?
  • Auto accidents, the single greatest cause of death to healthy U.S. citizens annually?
  • Natural disasters and climate risks such as hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, thunderstorms, fires, and earthquakes?

In today’s uncertain times, you should be relying on corporate travel agencies that ensure the safety of your employees and safeguard the future of your business. Don’t rely on amateurs. Contact GTI Travel today.