enhanced business thrive through travel · intuitive travel travel mindfully with the intention of...

sahara rose de vore

© sahara rose travels, llc & the Travel coach network™

Thrive through travel:enhanced Business

travel

© sahara rose travels, llc & the Travel coach network™ 2

Travel is a healthy decision just like anygym membership or meditation session andwellness is far more than just fitness, diet,

and sleep. Holistic wellness addressespeople as a whole, not just as employees orconsumers. It’s important to make wellness

a core element of every travel policy andtravel management platform because it is

increasingly synonymous with personal andprofessional satisfaction. Health and

wellbeing is just as important as safety andsecurity in duty of care and an effective way

to minimize risk management all whileenhancing traveler experience from pre,during, and post trip but unfortunately,

business travelers are compromising theirmental, physical, and overall health.

In a world driven by technology and AI, it’sessential that we don’t lose the foundationof what the travel and hospitality industrywas build upon; humanity, and to build a

value-driven marketplace. Employees bearthe brunt of company cost-cutting measures

in order to help the bottom line. Put theoverall wellbeing and satisfaction of theemployee ahead of policy and program

considerations while keeping overallcompany success in the forefront. That

is what enhanced travel can do. Thelong-lasting effects of travel will generateever-lasting benefits for your company.

Leverage robust technology-driven dataand analytics to continually evolve and

better serve employees and travelmanagement teams by providing them withmeaningful solutions. In the end, happier

and healthier employees will perform betterleading to overall company success.

Help business travelers make the most outof their work trips and navigate travel

misconceptions whiling supportingseamless and productive business

journeys.

It’s important for everyone in amanagement and decision-making role to

provide better service and to lead withpassion for the industry that they dedicatetheir time to. This includes travel booking

managers, human resource, customerservice, concierge teams, managers, travelagents, and anyone else responsible for the

success and wellbeing of employees,business travelers, and consumers.

Business travel doesn’t have to be socookie-cutter. Business travelers are

individuals and want different experienceseach time. Get to know them and their

desires.

It’s time to adopt a fresh “people andtraveler-first” perspective that puts extremefocus on the individual and emphasizes the

human element to your company andplatform and tap into the years of researchthat show the health and wellness benefits

that travel and experiences have on themind, body, and the workplace. Travel is animportant ingredient in everyone’s work and

life to some extent and it is up to thecompany to acknowledge and support this.

Through this Thrive Through Travel™Initiative, this signature Travel Coach

Approach™ Framework challenges thenorms and causes necessary disruption.

It includes a mindful, holistic, and health-centricpreventative approach that improves wellbeingand work-life through empowered travel and

enhanced experiences. Help travelers dive deepinto their travel experiences through fun, passion,

and transformation. Not everyone is a travelexpert which is why they need assistance and

guidance when it comes to traveling purposefullyfor leisure or business. Make travel less stressfulon the road or for a vacation by giving employeesall the tools that they need and the support that

backs it up.

Provide business travelers with more control andcomfortable, convenient, and seamless tools andthey will be more likely to abide by rules that you

set.

Duty of care is a moral obligation and makingtravel empowerment and education a

serious part of your risk management strategy issmart. Taking the time and effort to develop andimplement an attractive and efficient travel policy

pays off in the long run.

Travel has the ability to boost happinesshormones and stimulate long-term positive effects.

Happy and empowered people are moreproductive and creative.


“Traveller-focused policies which take intoaccount the impact of trip-related stress,could help companies improve travelerwell-being while also improving corporateproductivity by up to 32%” -CWT Study


Travel Coach Approach™


Physical WellnessBenefits

Boost immunityKeeps you fit

Improves physical well-beingSparks vitality

Detox the mind and bodyImproves respiration system

Improves sleep

Mental Wellness Benefits

Lowers stress levels

Decreases anxiety and depressionStrengthens emotional equilibrium Inspires compassion and empathy

Improves brain healthBoosts confidence and self-worth

Boost happiness and moodEnhance cognitive ability

Promotes self-fulfillment and self-awarenessStimulates resilience

Benefits forCompany Success

Boosts productivity and work performance

Sparks creativity and innovationPromotes cultural immersion

Builds talent development Builds company trust

Promotes a happy and healthy company cultureDecreases burnout

Lowers turnover, increases retentionAttracts and retains valuable talentGrow personal and leadership skills

Sparks healthy workplace conversations Strengthens relationships

Promote engagement Lowers risk management

Decrease medical costsCultivate a thriving company culture

Builds compassion and cultural inclusion Fosters teamwork, innovation, and professional growth

“Freed from the dailystresses of my working

life, I find that I ammore likely to have new

insights into oldproblems and other

flashes of inspiration” -Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin

Group


8 Focus Points of the Travel CoachingFramework

Intuitive travel Travel mindfully with the intention of a specific experience, wellness outcome, or transformation in mind.Experience liberation, develop a deeper connection with yourself, discover a better version of yourself,and gain a refreshed sense of work and life balance by tuning into your inner being. Help travelers bepresent both physically and mentally so they achieve more optimal business results.

Transformative Experiences Experience is everything. Have an experience that shapes your perspective, mindset, or overallwellbeing. Travel has the ability to change your life through a transformation that is unique for everytraveler.

Hyper-Personalization

Dive deep with an intense focus on an individual’s wants, needs, fears, stresses, and obstacles in orderto provide them with the experience that will best satisfy their wellbeing and work-life. Address people’sunrecognized needs and help them tune into their “identity refreshment”. Use solutions that can personalize recommendations while staying in line with policy and program considerations

Authentic Storytelling Travel turns you into an interesting storyteller. Encourage travelers to collect and share stories to benefittheir personal life and workplace experience, a term that I call “travel-telling”. Tap into your own passionfor travel and what led you to the travel or hospitality industries in the first place. Use authentic “travel-telling” to enhance employee well-being, improve marketing, stand out among competition, and betterrelate to consumers.


Human Connection Add the human component to the rising world of AI and technology. The foundation of the travel andhospitality industry, humanity, needs to be incorporated into your company’s mission. Having apassionate customer support or traveler support team is important for having a reliable partner that youremployees can turn to for help and guidance. Help travelers understand the importance of engagingwhile traveling to develop authentic human connection and embracing the local culture.

Empowerment

Encourage, guide, support, and empower employees to travel better, more effectively and confidently,and to be more involved in their experiences. Empower them to make decisions, step out of their comfortzone, and overcome or manage any fears or concerns. Empowered travelers and employees arehappier, healthier, safer, and more productive on the road and in the workplace. Simplify management bybuilding employee’s skill set and capabilities while aiding in risk prevention and stimulating resilience.

Education

Supply your employees and travelers with the proper education, preparation, resources, and tools sothey know how to have the travel and work experiences that they want and the outcomes that they need.Consulting with a travel expert on your travel policy, travel management platform, workplace wellnessprogram, booking manager and HR trainings, and travel agent trainings is essential for thriving.

Mindset Ensure that travelers are self-aware and in a positive frame of mind so they are susceptible to havingmeaningful experiences and obtaining the personal and professional benefits of travel.


Incorporate more bleisure and workflexibility Improve duty of care and lower riskmanagement Develop a better travel policy Inspired an engaging and active travelplanning process Spark in-depth self-actualization and self-awareness Understand the wellness and professionalbenefits of travel The best way to choose and use availabletravel incentives Applying new travel experiences and skillsto one’s work-life Readjusting upon return from a trip Financial health and time management Experience and cultural immersion Create smart travel booking tools Overcome or better manage travel andsafety fears and concerns Confidence boost for safety, remote workadjustments, and cultural immersion

Focuses of the Travel Coach Approachfor business travel

I traveled during a prime time for the travel industry. I had hands-on and in-depth experience of thetravel trends and rise in technology. This was also when the internet and social media began to soar. Thisexperience encompassed me in a world which enabled me to learn about the problems, voids, and trends inthe travel and hospitality industries as well as the workplace. My worldwide journey made me realize that travel had a powerful impact on the lives of so many people yetpeople lacked the ability to tap into its potential to transform their life in the most meaningful way. After divingdeep into the science behind the wellness benefits that travel has on the mind, body, andsoul, and ultimately the workplace, I knew that companies of all sorts were truly missing out on anopportunity to not only satisfy people’s innate desire to travel but using travel as a tool to improve overallwellbeing and boost company success. There is a huge emphasis on technology and a spike in corporatewellness yet there remains a burnout epidemic, high turnover rates, and disconnection between people. Throughout my travels and during my research, I had encountered thousands of people who have beentransformed by travel, who use travel as a means of healing, who quit their jobs to travel the world, whocrave more work flexibility or remote work option, and want story-steeped experiences. There is atremendous room for growth for new niches in the travel industry and for passionate and experiencedtravelers to disrupt the industry using their authentic experiences and expertise. This is what inspired me to start The Travel Coach Network and my Thrive Through Travel Initiative. Idesigned my signature Travel Coach Approach which can be applied to corporate wellness,business travel, and enhance travel agent trainings because it’s time that companies worldwide prioritizetravel as a key ingredient to self-care and company success. It is my mission to grow the first and largest network of travel coaches and implement my Thrive ThroughTravel programs in every workplace, travel platform, and travel agency around the world.


After graduating from university with a degree in Hospitalityand Tourism management, I quickly realized that the industrywas not offering any career paths that satisfied my traveldesires and the impact that I wanted to make on the travelindustry. I decided to pave my own path, pack a suitcase,and set off to explore the world in search of finding answersabout myself and what I wanted out of life and career. Littledid I know I would fall in love with travel. Fast forward over adecade, I had visited over 80 countries. Not only did travelhelp me find the answers that I was looking for but it was theleading factor in my life transformation. I once was adirectionless college student to finding my life purpose inhelping others thrive through travel.

My Story

Decrease burnout and improve business traveler wellbeing

Instead of travel adding more stress and anxiety to a business traveler, a shift in mindset andexperiences can actually improve their mental, physical, and overall wellbeing, ultimately decreasingburnout and its symptoms. Travel has the ability to decrease stress, lower anxiety, improve respiration,promote better sleep, keep you fit and active, and expose you to a new world of healing foods andactivities. Empowering travelers to better utilize their time, take advantage of any down time, or extendtheir trips and how to address their personal needs and struggles will allow them to see their businesstrip as an opportunity to better their personal and professional life. Vacation isn’t a cure for burnout but it can significantly improve or prevent the symptoms and consequences of burnout. Building resilience, cultivating gratitude, inspiring generosity, promotingbreathing techniques like meditation, and slow-paced activities like hikes in nature are all things thatare believed to lower stress and anxiety, which can be done while traveling. Travel can benefit the mind, body, and the soul. Mental activity and cognitive stimulation can be achievedthrough various activities associated with travel and being exposed to new environments can improve theimmune system. Traveling can help you take a breather, get refreshed, and focus on your mental health.It can also keep your body active, spirit youthful, and restore vitality. Travel introduces you to newhealing properties you otherwise would not have access to. A problem is that people look forward tobusiness travel and want it but they don’t know how to manage it or keep from burning out or harmingtheir mental and over health.

Business Travel: Travel EnhancementProgram


Job burnout accounts for an estimated $125 billion to $190 billion in health-care spending each year

(Harvard Business Review)

Almost 75% of those traveling for business reported high or very high stress(World Bank study)


You are alone a lot

Have difficulty eating healthy and staying

active

Tough on personal relationships

Existing problemswith the Currentroad warrior

Wellness efforts are aimed towards fitness, diet,

and sleep but there is a lot more space. Inspire

people to increase their physical activity

outdoors, meet and engage with new people,

strengthen your personal relationships or

marriage by including loved ones, and try new

local foods like nutrient-rich produce or healthy

meals native to the area.

Unclear policies

Poor health

Want more leisure

Burnout and stress-related health issues

Not being personal or individualized

Too much technology and not enough

human element

Problems inBusiness Travel

Higher medical claims

Reduced employee productivity and

performance

Absenteeism

Short-term disability

Unhappy workforce

Difficulty

Managing traveler preferences and duty of

care

Cost Effects ofImproper BusinessTravel

"In our 2018 traveler survey, thetop words used by many businesstravellers coming home from a tripwere “relief” to be home and“exhausted'”. -Joanne Sully, AmexGBT

Traveler fears and obstacles

Many travelers today want the freedom and flexibility to book their own travel and they want more outof their experience but, not everyone is a travel expert. Travel can be intimidating and overwhelmingfor many and can seem like one more thing to have to worry about for business travelers. When atraveler feels prepared and confident to navigate a new destination, engage in a new culture, andinteract with new people, a weight of stress and anxiety can be alleviated. Intimidated or stressedtravelers are closed off to experiencing what travel can provide them both personally andprofessionally. Helping traveler face, overcome, or better manage any fears and obstacles will enablethem to have enriching and purposeful experiences. The types of accommodations that businesstravelers want to stay in are changing based on budget, engagement, and overall experience. Opentheir mind to alternative lodging like coworking spaces and home-sharing which suits their need torelax in a home-like place or meet and interact with other interesting people.

Understanding why people travel

81% of millennials associate business travel with happiness (forbes.com)

Empower and educate travelers on how to travel intuitively will enable them to have more balance intheir work-life and make the most out of their business trips. Being able to travel for work is a perk inmany people’s eyes because travel is desirable. Unfortunately, business travelers are soon hit withthe reality of road warrior burnout or monotony. By understanding why business travelers are attractedto travel and what kind of experiences and fulfillment they are looking for, you can provide bettersupport and resources to help maximize their experience personally and professionally.



Incorporate Bleisure More and more business travelers are looking to incorporate bleisure into their business trips. Problem is, they aren’t sure how to go about using any extra time to adventure out or plan for anextended trip. Empowering and educating a traveler on how to go about incorporating their loved oneson a business trip or how to step out of their comfort zone to explore the new destination, can helpimprove the travelers experience and allow them to improve their overall health. Traveling canstrengthen relationships with partners and children, something that business travel tends to burden.

Qualitative benefits for the company

Lower medical expenses

Decreased recruitment and training expensesIncreased quality of work, innovation, and productivity

“New research shows that morethan 60% of business trips inthe past year including a leisureportion.” -Expedia Media Solutions, 2018

“About 80% of bleisuretravelers spend one to five

hours on research duringboth the inspiration and

planning phases – a more condensed amount of time

compared to typicalleisure booking windows.” -

PhocusWire, 2018


of young professionals see businesstravel as a work perk (Hilton.com)

75%

of Millennials onbusiness tripswish they couldextend their tripfor leisure(Hilton.com)

69%admit to feelingguilty aboutextending thier tripsfor leisure(Hilton.com)

46%

of business travelerssay their companydoesn’t consider theirpersonal lives whenasking them to travel(Hilton.com)

46%

of millennials rateleisure time onbusiness travel asimportant(Forbes.com)

73%

What Business Travelers need to do Business

Business travelers need to engage on a trip and in the workplace. They need to change their mindseton how they feel about traveling for business from stressful and mundane to exciting and purposeful.Business travelers need to look within to identify their personal struggles, obstacles, and stresses andask themselves what kind of experience they need in order to improve their wellbeing and workperformance. In order to obtain the health benefits and transformative experiencesof travel, people need to bemindful of how they execute their trip. They need to do inner reflection, engage with local and othercultures, engage in the workplace, identify the purpose of the trip, travel with confidence, disconnectand focus on their experience, and participate in the planning process.

What companies need to do

Tight travel budgets and overly strict travel policies don’t make for happy or productive employees.Provide the necessary tools, resources, support, and guidance that addresses them as individuals andhelps them attain the wellness and productivity benefits of travel so they can find their own unique andhealthy work-life balance. Implement the Thrive Through Travel Initiative with the Travel CoachApproach in self-guided e-learning courses, in-person trainings, and workshops.


“For a travel program to work, companies need to implement tools that are intuitive and delightful to use, while deploying a

marketing toolkit to reinforce why the program is good for them and thebusiness,”

-Evan Konwiser, VP of Marketing and Product Strategy at American Express Global Business Travel


The cost of not taking action

We cannot evaluate corporate wellness programs solely by their ROI but rather standing behind thecorporate responsibility of helping employees thrive and improving their overall wellbeing. Companies whochoose not to take action and make proper shifts in terms of travel and the workplace are choosing tosubject themselves to falling behind in the workforce competition, risking a continuation of turnover, burnout,high medical expenses, and struggling to hang on to valuable talent that attributes to a healthy and happycompany culture.

How to confidently incorporate more leisure opportunities

Have meaningful and purposeful experiences

How to enjoy and appreciate their trips by incorporating more experiences, free time, and family time

Address health concerns and how to better prepare for them on a trip

Understand what type of experience they hope to have from the trip

How to incorporate family or spouses in your trips

How to make flight, hotel, and activity booking based on their budget and expectations

How to immerse in the destination to gain unique and memorable experiences

How to make the most of the trip

Optimizing on the health and wellness benefits that travel can provide for their personal issues

What type of transformation in their personal life and/or work life do they want to happen during their

travels

How to engage more while traveling how to navigation travel misconceptions

How to deal with unforeseen situations

How to make the most out of their trip

Creating more work-life balance

How to take control over their time traveling and fulfill personal goals

How to take control and be more involved in your travel planning and experiences

How this approach will help business travelers


Give you a competitive advantage Create a well-rounded platformIncorporate the necessary human component Elevate your servicesEmphasize your passion and care for traveler wellbeing and personalizationHelp companies have best travel management programs

How the approach will Enhance your platform

“More people are venturingaround the world in pursuit ofnot only personaldevelopment, butprofessional too, viewingtravel as a vehicle for self-empowerment, careeradvancement and businesssuccess.” -Tripactions CTOIlan Twig

“We live in the age ofcustomization. As we look into

the future, we’re going to ask‘How do I get closer to the

traveler? How do I own thattraveler journey?’ Customizationis what’s driving the industry and

loyalty programs.” -Mark Frisone,a Global Account Executive from

Marriott International

about sahara Rose

Sahara Rose De Vore is an intuitive and wellness travel coach and expert andthe founder of The Travel Coach Network. She applies her signature TravelCoach Approach framework to help companies improve their corporatewellness and business travel programs through enhanced and intuitivetravel. After receiving a BA in Hospitality and Tourism, she spent a decadetraveling the globe to over 80 countries. Sahara Rose is a published authorand has been seen in various media outlets and podcasts including ThriveGlobal, Hospitality Net, Forbes, Skift, Yahoo! Finance, and Business Insider.She is a speaker and Director for the Global Workplace Wellness Summit anda speaker for the Global Business Travel Association. She was a 2019nominee for career-changing women in the travel industry organization WINitfor rising female leader, best female coach, and best innovative trailblazer.


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