Travelling to meet business partners or clients can be costly but there are ways on how to reduce your travel expenses.
Cutting down the budget without sacrificing the quality of your trip is the best thing you can do.Before going on a business travel, preparation is needed to prevent any problems and delays.
According to an analysis from Travel Leaders Group, the first quarter of this year shows a trend of an increasing average cost of business travels. The known factors of the increase in trip expenses starts from the airfare to hotel rates so here are seven ways on how to make your business travel cost-effective.
1. Book in Advance. You can have a huge savings in your trip budget if you have the extra time to plan ahead. When you book a flight in advance, discounts are usually offered.
2. Check Alternative Routes. Avoiding delays are really important in business travels but if you are not chasing the time, you can book connecting flights. As posted by Farecompare, connecting flights can save you money big time.
3. Plan Schedules/Itineraries. Airlines also have their peak season. The ticket prices are structured basing on the air travel demand. Ticket prices rise on holidays and summer. So try to schedule your trips on off-peak season.
4. Consider Public Transport. You do not have to rent that expensive car if not necessary. Check if there is an available and convenient public transport vehicles within the place. It can save you money from car rentals.
5. Choose Hotel That Fits Your Budget. Choosing a cheaper hotel to stay does not mean you are depriving yourself from a good night rest. There are hotels that are not too classy but offers same quality in room services. What you need to do is just a little research and reserve ahead of time.
6. Eat Cheap Heavy Meals. Make lunch your main meal because most restaurants are charging less during lunch than dinner. At night, you can just grab some light snacks to eat.
7. Consider Virtual Meetings. If you have a very tight budget and travelling is not ideal, you still have an option. Business travels may be essential to run a business by meeting with your partners in different places but there are ways to hold a meeting virtually. Using communication softwares like Skype are easy and convenient. It is much cheaper to talk remotely than paying those travel expenses.