1. Expect busier streets and more people using public transport systems

There are some reports which suggest 2024 will set new records for the number of visitors heading to Europe, with the Paris Olympics a major catalyst for travel to the continent. Record-breaking or not, one thing is guaranteed: the French capital will have to host an influx of visitors this summer and transport infrastructure will be stretched to its limits.

If you’re travelling for work in France during the event expect delays on the metro, buses, and trains, in Paris and its surrounding towns and cities, especially during peak hours and around competition venues. But it’s not only French streets that will be feeling the strain. Neighbouring countries like Spain and Germany could also see a rise in travellers and tourists as Olympic visitors extend their trips to other parts of Europe.

What can you do about it?

Consider flying into a less congested European city before travelling to Paris by train, making sure that you have all of the relevant identification and paperwork. Here are a few recommended destinations:

• London: Eurostar train (2 hours)
• Brussels: Thalys train (1 hour 50 mins)
• Geneva: TGV Lyria high-speed train (3 hours)
• Frankfurt: TGV INOUI high-speed train (3 hours 40mins)

3. Keep an eye on the French Parliamentary elections and what might change

France’s parliamentary elections take place on 30 June, with “run-off” elections lasting until 07 July. Not only could this herald the beginning of an entirely new government, it might also cause unrest and uncertainty which could have a detrimental impact on travel.

Besides a potential change in governmental policy surrounding the travel industry (any of which is unlikely to be enacted in the short time between the election and the start of the Games), a big political change could cause disruption in the capital, whether that be because of an increase in media attention or politically-motivated tensions.

What can you do about it?

Though Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says she has “difficulty understanding” President Macron’s decision to call an election so close to the Olympics, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach has assured fans that elections “will not disturb the Olympics”.

It would be wise to keep an eye on any political developments if you’re planning to travel to Paris on a work trip. That way you can prepare for any eventuality (or perhaps use the elections as an ice-breaker topic at your next business meeting!)

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Before You Travel

A business trip starts long before you step foot on a plane. Success is built on proper planning, an understanding of your objectives, and a dash of research about your destination. Get your pre-trip preparations right, and you’re already halfway towards an experience you’ll never forget.

City Guides

Check out a few of our city guides for business travellers below, or visit the City Guides page for more.

During Your Trip

So you’ve finally arrived at your destination. You’ve packed everything you need, you have your business meetings booked, and you’re looking forward to getting stuck into your trip. What’s next? There’s still plenty to consider even after you’ve turned up. 

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NEW YORK

Barcelona Pride Parade Lights

SAN FRANCISCO

The top things to do for LGBTQ+ travellers in San Francisco:

🏳️‍🌈 The Castro District: The city’s Castro District has been a central hub for LGBTQ+ culture and activism since the 1960s, with Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., as one of its most famous residents. Protests and riots erupted throughout the city when Harvey Milk was assassinated, along with the Mayor on November 27, 1978.

🏳️‍🌈 Lookout: A fun gay bay bar with good drinks and a large balcony area right in the middle of the Castro.

🏳️‍🌈 Harvey Milk Plaza: Visit this public space dedicated to Harvey Milk, featuring murals and a large rainbow flag.

🏳️‍🌈 Dolores Park: Relax in this popular gathering spot known for its lively and diverse crowds.

🏳️‍🌈 Pink Triangle Park: Pay respects at this memorial honouring LGBTQ+ victims of the Holocaust.

🏳️‍🌈 Folsom Street Fair: Experience one of the largest leather and fetish events in the world, celebrating sexual diversity and freedom.

BARCELONA

The top things to do for LGBTQ+ travellers in Barcelona:

🏳️‍🌈 Eixample District (Gaixample): Known as Barcelona’s LGBTQ+ district, this area is filled with LGBTQ+-friendly bars, clubs, and restaurants. It’s the perfect place to experience the city’s nightlife and meet like-minded people.

🏳️‍🌈 Barcelona Pride: Celebrate diversity and inclusivity during this annual event, which features parades, parties, and cultural activities throughout the city.

🏳️‍🌈 Sitges: Just a short train ride from Barcelona, this coastal town is a renowned LGBTQ+ haven, with beautiful beaches and a lively nightlife scene. Note: much of the offering in Sitges is targeted towards gay men.

🏳️‍🌈 Parc de la Ciutadella: Relax in this beautiful park, a popular gathering spot for the LGBTQ+ community, especially on sunny days.

🏳️‍🌈 Circuit Festival: Experience one of the largest international LGBTQ+ events, held in Barcelona every August, with a week of parties, cultural activities, and beach events.

🏳️‍🌈 La Sagrada Família and Park Güell: While not specifically LGBTQ+, these iconic landmarks by Antoni Gaudí are must-visits for any traveller, showcasing Barcelona’s unique artistic and architectural heritage. • La Sagrada Família is the longest-running construction project in the world having been started in 1882. Highly recommend a tour here otherwise you won’t fully grasp the genius and detail of Gaudí

🏳️‍🌈 Tandem Bar: Simply put the best cocktail I’ve ever had in my life. Not a gay bar but a traditional Catalonian cocktail bar. No menus but the mixologists can make you any drink you like or are happy to recommend. Please don’t tell too many people of this wonderful place.

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“From a glance, you may think that booking travel is only about ensuring you have booked your flight, hotel or rail ticket.

“However, have you considered all the other great and useful ancillary travel items available when using the Gray Dawes Yourtrip Booking Tool or via our offline dedicated teams?

 “Of course, your trip may only consist of one or two of the essential travel options such as car parking or airport transfers, but to support your travel journey further and to save you additional searching and external effort you may want to consider booking some of the additional ancillary items available to you at the time of booking.”

“Through our unique and comprehensive booking tool YourTrip, you can book a complete trip from “door to door” making your travel experience fully encompassing and negating the need to book separate items independently. Equally in doing so, you can benefit from Gray Dawes managing the payment of these ancillary items for you and including them within your agreed invoicing process.”

BOOKING ANCILLARIES WITH YOURTRIP

CAR PARKING

If you need to leave your car for a prolonged period then let YourTrip find you the best option for parking. Simply enter the location that you’re flying from and let YourTrip find the spot that works best for you.

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#1

Understand and listen to your travellers

Dig deep into specifics related to gender, health and disability, age or sexual orientation. Collect anonymous data to understand employee experiences. This will enable you to fully understand your travellers.

#3

Provide pre-travel safety training

Travel safety training should include local laws of the destination that your employees are travelling to and the risks and solutions. For example, risks and solutions for your LGBTQ travellers or for woman travelling solo on business trips.

Check out our essential tips to help solo female travellers stay safe, comfortable, and confident while away on a business trip – click HERE.

#5

Travelling with a disability

Disabilities can affect business travel and your policy should be changed to ensure comfort and safety.

You can deep dive further into this topic with our recent article on travelling with a disability – click HERE.

Your First Steps

DE&I is a fundamental topic for all organisations. It requires careful research and understanding. These super quick-tips will get you started on the journey to acheiving a fully inclusive travel programme. Safe travels!

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How to Tip in North America

The culture of tipping in America is probably the most different to what we’re used to in the UK. Servers in the US are often poorly paid so they make most of their money from tips.

Eating out

Any meal or experience where there’s table service, you should tip at least 15-20% of the total bill. If you’re particularly impressed, you can go up to 25%. Servers in buffet restaurants who clear your plates and bring drinks are expected to get around one dollar per diner.

Tipping isn’t necessary or expected if there’s no table service. You can pop a few coins in a tip jar in line at Starbucks, but don’t feel obliged.

Drinks

There’s a different culture when you’re at a bar in the States. You’re expected to tip for every drink you order. A dollar per drink if you’re paying for each upfront, or 15-20% of the total tab is enough for a good tip.

Taxis

Some people tip around 10-15% of the total fare, but most cab drivers would be fine with a dollar or two.

Hotels and Accommodation

Keep dollar bills handy to tip any bellboys – a dollar per bag is enough – and leave some out for housekeeping at the end of your stay – many hotels in the States leave envelopes out for you to tip the cleaning staff. If you use a car valet service, a tip of a few dollars is customary.

How to Tip in Central America

The LAC region (Latin America and the Caribbean) is a hugely popular destination for holidaymakers, even if not for business travel, and luckily tipping culture isn’t too difficult to get right.

Tipping in Central America

Central American destinations like Costa Rica and Ecuador follow a similar attitude to places in South America when it comes to tipping. Often restaurants around Central America will include a 10% charge labelled as “propina” or “servicio” – especially if it’s a more tourist-heavy area.

Tipping in the Caribbean

Tipping is standard throughout the Caribbean. If your hotel doesn’t automatically add service charges to the bill, tipping is welcome for employees such as bellhops and maids.

Generally, Caribbean bellhops receive 1-2 dollars per bag, but this amount goes up as the class of the hotel does. Restaurants will most likely add a 10% service charge. Additional tipping is up to you, but isn’t expected.

Tipping in Mexico

There’s no ‘one tip fits all’ rule for tipping in Mexico but rounding up bills by 10-15% is considered a nice gesture for good service. What you should remember is to tip in pesos where possible. You can tip in US dollars if you have them, but Mexican locals can’t exchange or use US coins, just notes.

How to Tip around Asia

Tipping in Singapore

In Singapore, most restaurants will add a 10% tip to your bill so a tip isn’t necessary. You’ll also find that many taxi drivers and other service workers will try to return any tip you try to leave them. It’ll be appreciated if you give a few Singapore dollars to workers in your hotel, though.

Tipping in Thailand

It’s common to tip at least 10% of the bill for a sit down meal. Tipping street vendors isn’t expected, and tipping at a bar is really up to you. If you give a tip for your first drink at a bar with table service, you might find that the waiter comes around to check on you a bit more frequently.

In your hotel you might find a tipping envelope left for housekeepers. It’s polite to leave something in there at the end of your stay, but it doesn’t have to be too much.

Before entering a taxi or a tuk-tuk in Thailand make sure to agree on a price in advance or make sure there’s a visible fare running so you can keep an eye on the price. It’s common to round up to the nearest bill and leave the change as a tip.

Part of the Thailand experience is enjoying an authentic Thai massage. If you have one, you should tip around 10-15% and hand it to the masseuse directly.

Tipping in China

Tipping isn’t a common practice throughout China, though if you take a tour, it’s customary to thank your guide with a small tip.

Tipping in Japan

It’s all made simple if you’re holidaying in Japan: don’t tip. It’s considered rude to give money to a server, and many will try to return your money.

Tipping in India

In India, tipping isn’t necessary but will be appreciated. a 10% tip on a restaurant bill is considered generous, and tipping hotel workers will also be considered a nice gesture.

If you visit temples, you’ll likely be asked to give small amounts of money. If you are ‘blessed’ by someone, you should tip as this is considered a kind act. However, be careful of people who might be waiting around tourist areas who’ll give you information and then demand a tip.

Use your judgement; be safe and sensible, but don’t feel like you must tip everyone who’s asking for one.

How to Tip in Africa

Tipping is expected throughout most of Africa, especially in popular destinations like Egypt and Marrakesh.

If you have a bit of leisure time after your business trip, you may have the opportunity of going on safaris or wildlife expeditions in lots of countries, like Kenya and South Africa, you’ll likely have questions about tipping the tour guides. A good rule to follow is:

• Add 10% tip to the overall cost if it’s a shorter tour.
• Give 20-35 Egyptian pounds for a tour lasting a few hours/half-a-day.
• Give generously if it’s a private tour or a longer tour.

How to Tip in the UK

The UK is fortunate enough to have a minimum wage in place for all service workers, so not leaving a tip isn’t quite the faux pas it is in the States. But it’s customary to leave 10-15% of the total bill when dining out, or more if you had particularly good service.

However, some restaurants might automatically add on a service charge (usually 12.5%), especially if you’re eating out as a large group, so check your bill to avoid tipping twice. Under the Consumer Rights Act, you won’t have to pay the service charge if you feel you received poor service.

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#2- Book Seats On Flights The Moment They Go On Sale

As the well-known proverb goes: “the early bird catches the worm”. This is especially true when it comes to Sports travel and booking flights – the earlier you secure your seats, the more likely you are to save money.

Most airlines list seats for sale 11 months prior to the scheduled flight. If possible, ensure that your travellers and/or teams are confirmed for travel a year in advance so that when the seats go on sale you are in a position to swoop in and get the early deals. 

This is where a TMC can really add value. Most airlines (with the exception of low-cost carriers) will let TMCs hold seats for a period of time by paying a small deposit. Via this method, travel bookers do not need to confirm final passenger numbers or worry about submitting passenger names until a month in advance in many cases. Even after submitting names, a TMC like Gray Dawes can generally change them free of charge before the tickets are issued. 

Essentially it doesn’t matter if you haven’t chosen your team; with the help of a TMC you can still book the flights!

#3- Submit Your Calendar of Events to Your TMC

Your sporting calendar is usually very predictable. Tournaments are scheduled and venues are booked years in advance, alongside all manner of sporting conferences, events, and meets that fill the seasons of sport. 

A good TMC with expertise in sports travel will ask you to send a copy of your sporting calendar so that they can assess your year(s) ahead and plan accordingly. This information is invaluable. It not only helps consultants to secure fares early (and more cheaply), it allows them to thoroughly analyse the location, lock down any on-the-ground logistics, and book accommodation long before it sells out. 

For British Swimming, one of our clients, coordinating calendars with our team of travel experts is one of the first things they do before the start of every season. This calendar allows us to see exactly where the swimmers need to be throughout the year, gives us the chance to understand their training and tournament schedule, and leaves us with time to ensure staff and athletes arrive at their destinations in good time and in the best possible shape.

#4 – Don’t Overlook the Importance of Defining Your Travel Budget

Take time to think more deeply about your travel budget and how it fits in with your objectives, not just for your organisation, but for your athletes and/or team. Ensure that it covers all aspects of the trip so that you aren’t tripped up by unexpected costs. Think about things such as:

• The costs involved in sustainable travel options.
• The price of ground transportation at the destination.
• How much travellers might need for food and drink.

Your TMC should be able to help you plan out your travel budget. They will also recommend and help you secure any financial support your athletes and staff might be entitled to, including considerations for meals, transportation, and incidentals.

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Are You Booking in Advance?

One of the biggest cost-saving measures any business travel booker can make is to book their travel with plenty of time to spare. It is recommended to book your travel at least 90 days in advance to get the very best rates available – sticking to this timeframe could save you around 52% on domestic flights, 40% on European flights, and as much as 38% on international flights. 

But try to think further than “How am I going to get to the airport?”  Figure out where you need to stay, whether your traveller will need any assistance at the destination, and what contingency plans you might need in case of an emergency. Use the knowledge and full experience of your travel consultant to get everything you need locked down long before your travellers leave. 

Does Your TMC Offer Negotiated Rates for Hotels?

Find out if your TMC has long-standing relationships with hotel providers so that you can take advantage of specially negotiated rates. These rates will be exclusive; they can be tailored to suit your specific needs and budget. But don’t ignore content from travel retailers such as Booking.com. Your TMC should work closely with these parties too. 

At Gray Dawes we deliver a unique content strategy that allows us to source the best rates from Expedia and Booking.com as well as the GDS and our own negotiated rates. We leverage our knowledge of the hotel industry to help you manage cost. For example, did you know you can save up to 15% on accommodation when you book at the same time as your flight to create a single bundled travel transaction? 

TOP TIP

Avoid hotel stays on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. You can save up to 27% by staying on a Thursday night in Europe.

In Conclusion

Business travel booking is not merely a matter of logistics. As highlighted throughout this guide, success hinges on knowing the industry and staying ahead of the curve. 

By ensuring you have access to all-in-one travel content, booking in advance to capitalise on cost-saving opportunities, securing the best rates for flights, and taking advantage of negotiated hotel rates, business travel bookers can help save their organisation money, enhance the traveller experience, and position themselves as indispensable assets. 

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