bizcations combine family trip with corporate travel, and ... · 7/18/2011 · bizcations combine...
TRANSCRIPT
Last Updated: July 18. 2011 1:12AM
Brian J. O'Connor
Bizcations combine family trip with corporate travel,and they're becoming popular
First we cut vacation costs with the "staycation." And now comes the "bizcation," where
the kids accompany a parent on a business trip so corporate travel can double as a family
getaway.
But it's hardly new to me — as long ago as the ancient 1960s, my brother, mom and I
accompanied my dad on his sales trips beyond the Michigan state line, so that we could return to regale the
neighbors with accounts of our visits to Wooster, Ohio, or, if Dad was trying to close a big deal, Akron.
Dad had a simple definition of "vacation:" If the hotel had a pool and the town had a Golden Arches, it was a
vacation.
Here's a handy checklist
These days, according to the latest work styles study by Homewood Suites, 67 percentof business travelers
say they combined leisure travel with a work trip in the past year. That's a 16 percent increase since 2000.
If you're a corporate road warrior thinking of joining the bizcation crowd, stop and ponder these important
questions first:
"Should I turn my next business trip into a bizcation?"
Yes: You work for a company that inspects carnival rides or designs video arcades.
No: You are a crime scene technician, geriatric urologist or U.N. weapons inspector.
"Can my kid help me with my business on the trip?"
No: You are a patent lawyer suing over irrigation systems.
Yes: You are a state police detective looking for a late-model red Pontiac with out-of-state plates. "I see New
Jersey, Daddy!"
"What bizcation locales will be particularly kid-friendly?"
Good: Orlando
Bad: Reno
"But won't Orlando be costly, with all those theme parks?"
Correction: Take Reno, and stick the kid in front of the dollar slots. Even if he doesn't win, it'll still be a whole
bunch cheaper.
"How can I balance work and family time on a bizcation?"
Work: Say, "Gee, I'd love to see your PowerPoint decks, boss, but I've got to go get the kids."
Family: Say, "Gee, I'd love to see your outfits at the American Girl doll store, Aiden, but I've got to go get the
marketing director."
Bonus: Play both strategies simultaneously, and you can slip away for an afternoon all to yourself, either at
the hotel spa or the local lounge.
"Are there any bizcation ideas I should absolutely avoid?"
Los Angeles: With the shutdown of I-405 causing what's being called "Carmageddon," avoid that car-centric
city. If you don't, it'll be you and not your kids crying, "Are we there yet?"
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