Business travel is serious business – and after two years of international travel restrictions, business trips are returning to schedules for CEOs and executives alike. Disagreements abound within the travel sector about the extent to which international business will be conducted in person in the future, but demand is nonetheless there. The organization of such travel typically falls to the PAs and administrative staff under the CEO or executives; in their capacity, how would you plan for a CEO’s business trip?
Plan Early
Planning a business trip is something you should begin as soon as you are tasked with doing so; organizing the disparate elements required for a smooth trip can be a time-consuming and complicated process, as well as time sensitive. Between connections and accommodation, there are a lot of moving parts to be locked in – and the earlier you lock them in, the cheaper they will be for the company. Early planning eliminates the chance that you miss a booking window, ensuring your CEO can make it to their destination on schedule.
Prioritize Low-Stress Options
The main characteristic of your CEO’s business travel, past the function of getting them to their destination, should be that travel is stress-free. They will likely be working or resting through-out the trip, and stressful or convoluted travel options could interrupt either. Connections should be smooth and comfortable – no rushing between stations, and no 5-hour layovers without appropriate accommodation or planning for between legs. If anything goes wrong, you should also be on-hand to set things right remotely, in order that travel can continue without major incident.
On Privacy
As mentioned previously, your CEO will be utilizing their trip to carry out important work, whether for the company or in preparation for the business they’re undertaking on their trip. As such, private travel would be appropriate to provide your CEO with a comfortable and quiet place to work uninterrupted. Such an environment might not be possible on a commercial flight; instead, you could make use of private jets for business flights, that offer private working environments for your CEO to work unimpeded. For any legs of the trip that involve road travel, a private car and driver would be appropriate.
On Safety
Safety is also an important concern to take in consideration when drawing together your CEO’s travel plans. They may be a high-profile businessperson, they may be carrying sensitive information, and they may well be travelling with their family. As such, ensuring their security on their journey is key. This could be provided physically in the form of a security detail, while endeavors to keep any information about their trip private can be a powerful preventative measure.
Necessities and Conveniences
Lastly, the little things. There are some modern conveniences which may well be required by the CEO during their travel; a solid WiFi connection might be one, and catering services may be another. Whether required or ancillary, ensuring your CEO is comfortable and has access to these conveniences will only bolster the smoothness of their trip.
