With business travel budgets projected to increase by 6.2% in 2025, companies are continuing to invest in corporate travel. Therefore, getting clued up on best booking practice and the current travel trends influencing the market is essential.
For example, businesses and their employees are becoming increasingly conscious of their carbon footprint - a recent report stated that over 40% of Gen Z and Millennial workers would switch their jobs over climate concerns. This poses a threat to businesses in terms of their employee retention as employees may leave if the business doesn’t make their travel programme sustainable.
As well as having to be more environmentally conscious, businesses face challenges such as cost management. According to CWT's Global Business Travel Forecast for 2024, there will be a 3% rise in the average cost per attendee per day for meetings and events. With the overall cost of travel increasing in the current economy, corporate budgets are being managed more carefully than ever.
Business travellers are also often looking to book longer and more purposeful trips. As BTN suggests, the mentality is changing, and people want to enjoy their business travel more. To maximise traveller wellbeing while travelling for business, SilverDoor’s experts have plenty of suggestions for exactly how this can be done.
With decades of combined experience in the business travel and mobility space, SilverDoor’s account managers have varied experience of sourcing accommodation for relocations, business trips, meetings and events, and everything in between for the corporate travel programmes of some of the world’s largest companies. We asked our team of specialists for their 5 top tips to help you make the most of your next business trip.
Read on to find out the best tips for you when booking your accommodation and the common mistakes to avoid.
1. Make simple eco-friendly choices to reduce your carbon footprint
Businesses are quickly becoming more conscious of their carbon footprint. When booking accommodation, our account managers suggest that to become more sustainable, travellers can follow the "go green" practice and reduce the number of times they use housekeeping services. Not only will this reduce water and energy consumption, but guests can enjoy a more uninterrupted stay.
Our account managers encourage travellers to pick their location wisely for the most efficient commute, opting for public transport or walking to the office or appointment instead of driving. This could also be factored in when travelling to and from the airport, as using public transportation such as trains or buses can help you reduce your carbon emissions by 2.2% per individual.
"With the Carbon Calculator, businesses can make more justified and fully informed decisions about which accommodation best matches their environmental objectives."
Julie Sekiya, Account Manager (APAC),SilverDoor
Want to keep track of your carbon footprint while travelling for business? SilverDoor’s Carbon Calculator empowers you to make more informed booking decisions and keep track of the carbon emissions of booked accommodation. Our Carbon Calculator algorithm uses the building-specific data from our property operators to produce a calculated estimate of the carbon emissions produced per night of stay. Find out more about the Carbon Calculator and learn how it could help your personal or business-level sustainability goals.
2. Take the time to check the terms and conditions of your booking
We asked our account managers the most common mistake made when booking business travel accommodation, and they identified not reading the terms and conditions of bookings in detail. This is particularly important when travelling with a visa, ensuring you have all that is required before and after booking to avoid any surprises.
"Always make sure you are checking cancellation terms before booking as they can vary between properties. Make sure you are also aware of how to check in and whether you need a key code.”
Amy Pammenter, Head Account Manager, SilverDoor
Plans can change and sometimes last-minute cancellations are unavoidable, so SilverDoor will always work with the property provider and client to mitigate any potential charges. Bookers are advised to inform their account manager of any booking amendments as early as possible to avoid any cancellation fees.
3. If budgets are tight - consider accommodation on the outskirts of a major city.
If you are looking for money-saving tactics for your business trip, our account managers have you covered. When travelling to bustling cities such as New York, London and Dubai, our account managers suggest you consider a suburb of that city with good public transport links. Often there are subway or metro lines like the London Underground which make getting into the office on time simple and speedy.
For example, our booking data shows that the average nightly rate for an apartment within the Tribeca area of New York is $200. However, if you were to book accommodation in central Manhattan, a major tourist hub, it could cost up to $357 per night. If it’s feasible for your corporate commitments, this potentially significant price difference is reason enough to book further out and commute to work.
“For busier cities such as New York City (Manhattan) or Chicago, consider a suburb of that city with easy access to public transit. Often, there is a subway line/train that is a short ride into the city.”
Robert Carrick, Head Account Manager (Americas), SilverDoor
This can all be made easier with SilverDoor's innovative online booking tool. The user can select any added office location when running a search. By choosing the office as their destination, they can toggle a radius selector to decide how far from their office they would be willing to stay, and it will also be highlighted in the map view; allowing the user to view all nearby options before deciding where they want to stay.
4. Ensure extra space and amenities for children and pets
When travelling with children and pets, it is important to ensure that certain arrangements such as an extra bed/baby cot are provided and whether there are any extra costs involved. When travelling with pets, let your account manager know when you enquire so they can offer options with a nearby green space or on-site gardens. SilverDoor will take all booking requirements into account and only ever recommend accommodation to suit your specific needs.
Planning a business trip with pets? Make sure the accommodation you are booking specifies that it is pet friendly as well as exact breed friendly to waive any possible issues upon arrival.
As for travelling with children make sure you…
“Check the bed configuration of the apartment. Make sure an extra bed or baby cot can be provided for the children before booking and be aware that properties may charge an extra cost for this service.”
Iuliana Ioana, Client Programme Executive, SilverDoor
5. Consider regional differences to maximise traveller wellbeing.
Traveller safety has always been an important consideration for travel bookers. With many businesses conducting their operations throughout the world, it’s important to understand the areas, cultures and potential challenges of living in different countries or regions.
As recommended by our Head Account Manager…
“Booking properties with 24-hour reception is key to traveller safety. Using the SilverDoor.com traveller tracking tool will also allow you to keep all travellers accounted for across the globe.”
Charlie John Crane, Head Account Manager, SilverDoor
Depending on where you intend to travel and the type of traveller, considering properties with a 24-hour reception or buildings close to streets, shops and restaurants can add to the sense of security. Serviced apartments are safe and secure by design,
SilverDoor has incorporated a bespoke Traveller Tracking module within our booking system. SilverDoor works with key travel and operational risk companies, Anvil and International SOS, to allow businesses to track their travellers’ whereabouts with real-time data to ensure they are safe. As a result, business travellers can feel much safer when travelling to and working in new places.
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