Hyatt Regency Trinidad shares five guidelines that help business travelers to see beyond the boardroom
Port of Spain, Trinidad – Many rising executives clamor to gain international business experience because it raises their profile and fast-tracks their chances of capitalizing on opportunities for promotion. But the road to the top isn’t always easy.
Traveling overseas to attend meetings or conferences – even in exotic locations – can be exhausting. Long flights and busy airports punctuated by back-to-back meetings often take their toll.
However, business and leisure travel can co-exist harmoniously, if coordinated properly. Below, Hyatt Regency Trinidad shares five essential tips for making business trips work for both business and pleasure.
Add on extra days
Add on a few personal days to the beginning or end of your work trip to ensure you enjoy the location. If you’re staying at a hotel that your company has a volume discount rate with, ask if they will extend your stay using the corporate rate. Most will, within reason.
Do your homework
From the minute you learn of an upcoming meeting or conference, start doing some homework. Surf the internet for activity suggestions and talk to other colleagues who have visited the site before, then compile a list of things you’d like to see and do while there. Also check the weather forecast to help you pack for both trips, in one carry-on. The ultimate goal is to take work clothes that also can double as vacation attire. Remember, the best moments materialize when preparation meets opportunity!
Use your breaks wisely
Always have a confirmed agenda handy so you can slot desired activities into your free time. If there are no meetings or presentations planned, sneak off-site to enjoy a short city tour or browse a local art gallery. Bear in mind that leisure experiences can be woven into your time on-site as well. Here at Hyatt Regency Trinidad, meeting attendees can use their downtime to mingle with other guests at our popular Sushi Bar, unwind at our rooftop infinity pool, or book an Esencia Jet Lag Body treatment or massage at our spa.
Get social
The best way to convert from tourist to local is to get social – in person and online. Talk to the hotel staff you meet: the front desk agents, the concierge team, or the charismatic servers and bartenders. Ask for their recommendations and insider tips to the destination and comb through online suggestions The Facebook and Twitter pages of tourist boards and hotel sites provide a wealth of information, so be sure to follow or like their pages. For Trinidad, we recommend:
- @gotrinbago for destination information
- @HyattTrinidad on Twitter and Facebook, as well as HyattRegencyTrinidad on Facebook for hotel news
- Trinichow. TriniGourmet and Trinicooks social sites for culinary ideas and places to eat. The hashtag #foodfindstrinidad also undercovers hidden gems.
Keep Good Records
When mixing business with leisure, it’s important to manage expenses separately and keep good records. Use personal credit cards to pay for personal expenses and hold on to, and justify, business receipts. As long as you accomplish your work goals and bring back tangible evidence of the things you accomplished, there’s no reason not to have a little fun too.
