Benefits of travel: A change of scenery can boost motivation

Oct 02, 2020 09:23 GMT

Going the Distance: 3 tips for essentialtravel

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, coined the term ‘Reiseangst’(from the German, ‘fear of travel’). While we’ve seen a raft of new phrases inthe last six months, this one’s ripe for a revival. Even the most seasonedtravelers find themselves weighed down with concerns that didn’t existpreviously. It’s not surprising. Restrictions on international travel are slowlyeasing but they remain fluid. Quarantine requirements could change last-minute, there are fewer available routes and the travel experience is a far cryfrom what it was pre-pandemic. Back then, language barriers, cultural faux-pas, and minor transport delays were our biggest concerns.

Yet, the value of a productive trip remains undisputed, “There’s no realsubstitute for in-person visits,” says Mike Valkevich, CWT’s VP CustomerManagement GCG, EMEA, “There’s a continued awareness that business travelis a high return on investment. In most cases, organizations feel or can provethe benefits of face-to-face, including for negotiation or selling, leadershipaffairs, motivation, and management.”

As some companies temporarily tighten their belts and reduce opportunitiesto travel, it’s more important than ever that a trip is a fruitful one. Here arethree ways to alter your mindset and prepare for a great trip.

1, Be prepared

“Anticipate that availability is not what it used to be and be prepared forchallenges,” says Valkevich, “As the industry recovers, there will be a need forbusiness travelers to understand that the level of access with lots of availableflights and rooms isn’t true anymore. The world of travel has changedconsiderably.” Knowing that requirements may change, facilities may bereduced or there may be delays, can help to alleviate frustration.

2, Take a higher level of responsibility

In a survey about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on customers, morethan half of the companies surveyed by CWT plan on increasing riskmanagement around travel, including defined travel planning and en-routeprotocols (77%) and live or near-live tracking mechanisms (72%). Whilecompanies are very focused on duty of care, travelers will have to step upindividual responsibility to understand what’s required, “In the past we mayhave been accustomed to having an assistant, travel agent or visa processingcompany handle everything for us,” says Valkevich, “Nowadays, individualsmay be required to bring a recent medical test result in order to enter acountry, for example. Don’t rely on others. It’s essential to research and haveyour paperwork in order.” CWT Travel Essentials allows travelers to check forup-to-date requirements for travel between certain countries.

3. Focus on the benefits

Once you have prepared the necessary documents and taken precautions like

wearing a mask and physical distancing, you have done and are doing all thatyou can. Resist the urge to let uncertainty deplete your mental gas tank. Set agoal for your trip that’s achievable even if things change.

Humans are social creatures. A business trip can be the catalyst forinnovation or the foundation of a critically important sale. Add to that, theuntold benefits of a change of scenery to emotional wellbeing andmotivation. Some anxiety or confusion is inevitable in these strange times.However, checking simple tasks off your list and shifting your mindset willhelp you make the most of your travels. Here’s another obscure word:“Fernweh.” Also German in origin, it describes a yearning to get away andtravel to a distant place. After long periods at home, many of us can relate.

CWT

CWT is a Business-to-Business-for-Employees (B2B4E) travel managementplatform. Companies and governments rely on us to keep their peopleconnected – anywhere, anytime, anyhow – and across six continents, weprovide their employees with innovative technology and an efficient, safe andsecure travel experience. Every single day, we look after enough travelers tofill more than 100,000 hotel rooms, while our meetings and events divisionhandles more than 100 events every 24 hours.

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