Organizing successful overseas business travel requires establishing a clear travel management policy. Key elements of an effective policy include deciding how travel will be arranged, setting standards for travel and compensation, ensuring proper insurance and health precautions are in place, and providing cultural and language training. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the policy allows for improvements based on traveler feedback. An organized approach helps ensure employee safety and makes rules clear while potentially reducing costs.

1. Organising successful overseas business travel.
Introduction
Business takes place in increasingly
global markets, and managers are
travelling abroad more than ever
before. Travel may be infrequent
in·fre·quent Â
adj.
1. Not occurring regularly; occasional
or rare: an infrequent guest.
2. Â for some, while for others it is a regular, established part of the job. Regardless of the size of
the organisation, the number of overseas trips taken or the number of employees involved, a travel
management policy is essential to ensure that people are in the right place at the right time, in a fit
state to do business. An effective policy provides a coherent approach to overseas travel and can
lead to cost savings. It also has the advantage of making the rules clear to all employees and
demonstrating company support to those who travel on business.
National Occupational Standards for Management and Leadership
This checklist has relevance to the following standards:
B: Providing direction, units 5, 6, 7
Definition
A travel management policy describes:
* how travel is organised on an organisation-wide basis
* the controls the organisation wishes to impose
* the steps which are taken to ensure employee health and safety while abroad
* the support which is provided to employees to make the trip a success
* the management information which is required for monitoring and evaluation.
This checklist covers travel which is international and brief in duration. Expatriate Expatriate
An employee who is a U.S. citizen living and working in a foreign country. Â postings are covered by

2. Checklist 006 Planning Overseas Assignments.
Action checklist
1. Decide which approach will be most effective
Some organisations leave staff to make their own travel arrangements, but a coherent approach is
only possible if the job is given to a full- or part-time part-time
adj.
For or during less than the customary or standard time: a part-time job.
part  travel coordinator or manager. An alternative is to outsource the work to a specialist business
travel agent or travel management company. Consider the potential savings available through
Internet Internet
Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It
grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects
Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the
 travel sites and online booking services, but weigh these against the specialist knowledge, advice
and customer service offered by traditional travel agents. However travel arrangements are
handled, it is advisable ad·vis·a·ble Â
adj.
Worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent.
ad·vis a·bil  to use and monitor the services of one travel agency for making bookings. This gives
a dual benefit: it allows you to maximise your purchasing power Purchasing Power
1. The value of a currency expressed in terms of the amount of goods or services that one unit of
money can buy. Purchasing power is important because, all else being equal, inflation decreases the
amount of goods or services you'd be able to purchase.
2.
, and the agency concerned becomes familiar with the needs and preferences of your organisation
(and its individual managers)
2. Establish appropriate standards of travel and compensation
State the grade of travel which employees should use. This often depends on the journey length and
the seniority of the person concerned. A similar statement relating to relating to relate prep ->
concernant
relating to relate prep -> bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc  hotel accommodation should be
included. Consider your policy on partners accompanying staff on work-related trips (would you
allow one first class ticket to be swapped for two economy ones, for example) and decide whether
benefits earned on frequent flyer frequent flyer Hospital practice A popular term for a Pt who is

3. regularly admitted to a particular ER or health care facility, for various reasons  programmes
should be returned to the organisation or retained by the individual. Draw up approval guidelines
guidelines,
n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain
tasks. Â for expenses. These should include advances of foreign currency, use of credit cards,
clothing allowances for intemperate in·tem·per·ate Â
adj.
Not temperate or moderate; excessive, especially in the use of alcoholic beverages.
in·tem per·ate·ly adv.  climates, and private telephone calls. Monitor cost-of-living indexes cost-
of-living index
n.
See consumer price index.
Noun 1. cost-of-living index - an index of the cost of all goods and services to a typical consumer
consumer price index, CPI
 for various cities to enable you to control expenses. Compensation for weekends and bank holidays
spent abroad must be agreed with staff and they must know how soon they are expected back at
work after returning from their trip.
3. Check up on visa requirements
Make sure that you have up to date information on current visa, passport passport
Document issued by a national government identifying a traveler as a citizen with a right to
protection while abroad and a right to return to the country of citizenship. It is normally a small
booklet containing a description and photograph of the bearer. Â and travel documentation
requirements in the countries your employees will be visiting and that all travel documents are
current.
4. Take steps to ensure staff security abroad
If a group of senior managers is intending to travel together, insist that they do not take the same
plane or boat. Ensure that all staff who travel abroad for the first time receive a briefing on personal
safety issues, for example on a plane, in the street, in an hotel, when taking cabs or driving
themselves, and about looking after money. Also offer advice on measures which staff can take to
protect their home and family whilst away. When staff visit high risk areas of the world, check out
any specific advice for these countries and cities and make sure it is kept up-to-date and passed on
to employees.
5. Check insurance policies
The best insurance cover is all-year cover for all staff. Anything less could lead to employees making
trips with inadequate cover or none at all, especially when last minute trips are arranged or

4. someone who has never travelled abroad before on business is suddenly called upon to do so. Check
carefully what the policy covers and what the small print excludes. Shop around and compare costs.
6. Ensure employees get the correct health information
Health issues are many and varied. A travel policy should ensure that the important issues are dealt
with, most notably vaccinations and specific health risks in certain countries, and that advice is
given to staff on matters such as dealing with jet lag jet lag
Period of adjustment of biological rhythm after moving from one time zone to another, experienced
as fatigue and lowered efficiency. It reflects a delay in the synchronization of changes in the level of
blood cortisol, the major steroid produced by the adrenal cortex , tummy bugs and the sun. Issue a
first aid kit (containing disposable disposable Nursing adjective Referring to that which is
discarded or disposed of noun An item used in health care-related Pt contact which is discarded
after use-eg masks, gloves, gowns, needles, paper products, syringes, wipes. See Biohazardous
waste. Â needles for use if injections become necessary) to travellers going to countries with
unreliable medical services and an AIDS problem.
7. Provide appropriate cultural and language training
Depending on the budget, the time available, and the inclinations of the employee, offer formal
language training or encourage the traveller to use language tapes well in advance of trips. The
employee will also need to know something about the culture, customs and business practices of the
country. Cultural mistakes can be costly in business as well as in personal terms. Keep up-to-date
with useful publications and seminars.
8. Communicate the policy
A written copy of the policy should be sent to all travellers, their secretaries, their managers and the
travel agency.
9. Monitor and evaluate the policy
Collect information such as travel patterns, the number of journeys and the companies used. This
can be gathered from flight and hotel bookings, invoices, management information from travel
agencies and the submission of expenses. Consult travellers for their opinions on the assistance
provided through the policy and on whether they think the rules are fair. Make sure you amend the
policy accordingly for the benefit of other travellers.
Managers should avoid:
* relying on employees to manage their own travel arrangements
* failing to provide clear guidelines
* neglecting to read the small print in insurance policies
* dealing with overseas travel on an ad hoc For this purpose. Meaning "to this" in Latin, it refers to
dealing with special situations as they occur rather than functions that are repeated on a regular
basis. See ad hoc query and ad hoc mode. Â basis

5. * leaving arrangements until the last minute.
Additional resources
Books
Guide to surviving business travel
Staines Staines, city (1991 pop. 12,886), Surrey, SE England, on the Thames River. On the edge of
Greater London, Staines is residential. There is some industry, such as the manufacture of diesel
engines. Spelthorne Museum is there, and Thorpe Park, a theme park, is nearby. : spacetostay, 2004
Survivors Survivors was a British television series devised by Terry Nation and produced by Terence
Dudley at the BBC from 1975 to 1977. It concerned the plight of a group of people who had survived
an accidentally released plague that had killed nearly the entire population of the  guide to
business travel,Roger Collis
London London, city, Canada
London, city (1991 pop. 303,165), SE Ont., Canada, on the Thames River. The site was chosen in
1792 by Governor Simcoe to be the capital of Upper Canada, but York was made capital instead.
London was settled in 1826. : Kogan Page, 2000
This is a selection of books available for loan to members from the Management Information Centre.
More information at: www.managers.org.uk/mic
Journal articles
Business travel supplement
Supply Management, 27 Apr 2006, vol 11 no 9, whole issue
Going places, Alex Blyth
Accountancy, Apr 2006, vol 137 no 1351, pp 40-41
This is a selection of journal articles available from the Management Information Centre. More
information at: www.managers.org.uk/mic
Related checklist
Planning overseas assignments (006)
Internet resources
International Travel and Health: www.who.int/ith/en
WHO guide to travel-related health risks and vaccination vaccination, means of producing
immunity against pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, by the introduction of live, killed, or
altered antigens that stimulate the body to produce antibodies against more dangerous forms.
 requirements by country.

6. Foreign and Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk
Includes a travel advice section covering a range of practical topics, including passport and visa
requirements, health and safety when travelling and help available from consulates.
Business Travel Net: www.businesstravelnet.com
Portal site Noun 1. portal site - a site that the owner positions as an entrance to other sites on the
internet; "a portal typically has search engines and free email and chat rooms etc. Â including travel
news and directories of airlines, rail and ferry services, car rental and travel management
companies.
Economist Cities Guide: www.economist.com/cities
Collection of guides to cities worldwide.
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