Essential Tips For Business Women Traveling Alone

Being a business woman can come with an immense feeling of professional satisfaction, and when your career involves international travels as well, the rewards are even more appealing. While exploring new surroundings and handling business affairs at the same time seems ideal, there are some aspects that might cause a few worries. More often than not you are probably starveling solo, which might seem great if you enjoy making your own schedule and handling business activities the way you prefer, but you however need to mitigate the risks involved and be thoroughly organized. Your solo traveling experience can be kept pleasant and enjoyable, as long as you are prepared with a few insights. Here are some guidelines that will make you feel less anxious about lone business trips: 

Look into local legal and cultural regulations towards solo female travelers 

In some regions around the globe, being a women means you will be subjected to slightly different rules than men. In Muslim countries, your choices of attire should be made wisely, in concordance with the local law, for example, while in Hindu countries, your access in temples might be limited in some circumstance. Before your departure, you should spend some time doing your homework on the said destination and finding out if there is anything important you need to know. Besides dealing with a potential embarrassing scenario due to disinformation, you could in fact be faced with legal consequences if your behavior is regarded as misconduct in the said region. Even if you might believe you know a few things about one country or another, digging into the legal and cultural regulations a bit deeper won’t hurt. Getting negative attention is certainly something you don’t want, especially when you are traveling for business purposes and your time spent there is limited, so don’t overlook the importance of this step. 

Use a reliable, well-known hotel 

Begin accommodation is one of the main responsibilities to handle when you are planning a business travel. This might seem easy considering the variety of offers now available on the market, regardless of destination, but in reality, you have to choose wisely if you want to benefit from great service and reduced safety concerns. Because you are traveling alone, you should limit your options to popular, reliable hotels, and avoid staying at accommodations you might know nothing about, such as the ones you can book through Airbnb, for example. Do your homework, find out which hotel ranks first in the said location, and book your room with enough time in advance, so you can be certain your spot will be saved. Your stay will be far more enjoyable if you have booked a room at a well-known place, whether it’s staying at Shaza Riyadh luxury hotel when visiting Saudi Arabia, at Okura Masterdam when in the Netherlands or at The Four Seasons while doing business in Chicago, go for safe, popular choices. 

Book an airport transfer

Travelling from the airport to your hotel or to any other location you need to go to as soon as you arrive is another thing that comes with a few important pointers to remember. Because public means of transportation might not be as easily accessible from the airport, or you might simply want a more convenient and fast alternative, taxis will probably be your first choice here. Every experienced traveler knows that the taxis parked outside the airport aren’t always the most reliable, tourists being scammed constantly by untrustworthy cab drivers, so don’t leave unprepared and book an airport transfer before your departure. Having someone waiting for you at the airport as soon s your plane lands will give you peace of mind knowing you will arrive safely from point A to point B, and you won’t be overcharged for it. 

Keep your documents somewhere safe

Losing your documentation when you are in a foreign country is a nightmare scenario that you should do your best to avoid. The complications that will arise when you no longer have your documents are various and will certainly ruin your entire experience and bring you a lot of stress. This is why, your documents should be always kept somewhere safe, preferably not in your wallet, considering this is the main target of potential muggers. Leave them at your hotel, in a safety box if possible, and also, make sure to have them in electronic format as well. A digital copy of all important documents could save you from an inconvenience.  

Blend in by dressing like a local

Paying attention to the way you dress  will matter not only in countries where there are certain legal rules revolving around this aspect, but anywhere else, if you don’t want those around you to easily notice you are a tourist.  Find out how local women dress there and try to keep your attire appropriate for the location. As a solo tourist, the last thing you want is to stand out. While for your business meetings you might need to have a formal attire, when you are just wandering around, dress accordingly. 

Stay connected

Last but not least, stay in touch constantly with someone at home. Let them know your itinerary and stay connected the entire trip. This way, there will be someone who knows where you are and what you are doing at all times, and you would be able to request help if an unwanted scenario occurs. Activate your roaming service or simply get a local prepaid SIM card.  

Traveling alone has its own benefits, but there are some safety concerns involved, which you need to keep in mind from the start. As a business woman, your travel requirements might be extensive, and you shouldn’t let the prospect of traveling by yourself affect your trip or your professional activities. Instead of thinking you might deal with an unpleasant scenario, you could lower the potential safety risks involved by planning each one of your business travels by the book and taking into account the suggestions mentioned here. As long as you follow these tips, you will manage to maintain your trips inconvenience-free.

Businesswoman walking in airport — Image by © Artiga Photo/Corbis

One thought on “Essential Tips For Business Women Traveling Alone

Leave a Reply