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Less frequent, more rewarding: today’s working jaunt calls for fresh thinking, as two regular travellers explain

The business trip, remade

he way we travel for business has changed a lot. The pandemic and the subsequent slow return to movement without restrictions have certainly meant fewer trips are being taken. But the new era of business travel also involves more meaningful trips – trips that matter. Business travellers are increasingly opting to extend their stays beyond a quick meeting or two. Now it’s about getting to know places and including leisure time in the itinerary, either alone or with family and friends. How we get there is changing too. With sustainability becoming increasingly important, businesses are looking to get the most from the trips they make by air, while for destinations closer to home there is a rekindled interest in journeys by rail or road. But however you choose to arrive, there are smart ways to get extra value from from any business trip – like rethinking your credit card, for example. The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card allows you to rack up points as you spend and redeem them for future stays at hotels and resorts – including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals. Members can also use their points for Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or for purchases through partners of luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques. As we enter a new age of business travel, we take a look at how frequent business flyers are changing their ways.

managing director of F1 consultancy Performance Insights, and author of The Business of Winning: Strategic Success from the Formula One Track to the Boardroom

I’ve worked in Formula 1 for more than 20 years and I do quite a lot of work at events and public speaking on the sport, so this means a good amount of travel. I can’t remember why I worked this out, but I calculated I had taken 170 flights in 2018. I used to tell my travel insurers to expect between 12 and 15 long-haul flights a year – the rest were around Europe. Obviously this all collapsed at the start of Covid. Work is definitely picking up speed again but what’s interesting is that a lot of it has remained online. I’m travelling about a quarter less than I would have been before 2020 and the way I travel has changed. Getting a flight at the crack of dawn and back that evening is not appealing. I now mandate overnight stays for any trips I do. Sometimes I get to choose where I stay, which is obviously the preferred option. I enjoy a nice hotel – who doesn’t like a bit of luxury? And to me a nice hotel means things like speedy service, a room with everything I need and cleanliness. I definitely see this mix of travel and pleasure emerging. Last year I was asked to travel to Portugal and when I got there I realised the client had brought the team away for four days but only one of those was for the conference – the rest was enjoying the place and spending time together. I’m looking at how I can package something up around my trips. Two weeks ago I was in Sweden to do events in Stockholm, Malmo and Gothenburg, and I built in a four-day weekend after that and brought my wife with me. We rented a car and drove around the country. I’ve said to my wife that I want to travel less but when I do, she should come with me if she can.

Mark Gallagher

My travel toolkit

Mark Gallagher travel toolkit

Politics

History

I’m a massive podcast fan. I listen to a mixture of politics, history and, of course, Formula 1 podcasts (though I tend not to listen to my own Flat Chat).

Before the pandemic I was doing conservation work in Belize and Botswana, using technology to connect people with nature in different ways. We were building virtual reality cinemas, hoping that people could learn more about nature and want to protect it. I pivoted to create Electrek Explorer, a platform helping eco-conscious travellers to enjoy road trips, trails, walks and activities in nature with low carbon transport such as electric cars and bikes. When I travel for work, I definitely think more about what I can tag onto a trip and how I can make the most of where I am. I was recently at a conference in Switzerland and I made sure to block out two days before so I could explore the region. I just soaked up nature and connected with other people in the same business as myself, from ebike guiding to hotels and restaurants supporting low-carbon travellers. How we travel matters too. When we went to Chamonix in France for work, we looked at low-carbon options to travel there. We were able to get a train called the Mont-Blanc Express, which was incredible – huge windows, and the views… it was an experience in itself. Our mission is driven by the fact that people want to be closer to nature. I think the pandemic made us realise how much we sometimes take for granted – especially closer to home. Travelling anywhere in the UK for business now means connecting with nature, having microadventures and some kind of wellness activity.

wildlife biologist and founder of Electrek Explorer

My travel toolkit

Elaine Ford travel toolkit

Music is an absolute essential when travelling. At Electrek Explorer we’re curating lists for podcasts with great, energising beats. I love listening to Niteworks by Air Fàir an Là – a band from Skye that fuse Celtic music and house beats.

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Elaine Ford