International Trade

Scouting On The Web

September 2007
Joseph Baron, International Trade Today

One of the clear benefits of the internet is in making travel arrangements and keeping costs down.

Who hasn’t booked a business flight via the internet? Which one of us hasn’t researched a new trading destination online or the cultural differences in conducting business abroad? And it would be virtually impossible to find any business that hasn’t run a price comparison check on travel arrangements to ensure that they’ve got the best deal.

But what’s the easiest way to ensure that you’ve got the best price for your flight or the hotel that’s in the best location for you and your potential customers or suppliers?

Good general price comparison flight sites include www.cheapflights.co.uk and www. skyscanner.net, depending on where you need to travel. Once you’ve surfed these it’s always worth going direct to your preferred airline’s website to see if you can get a cheaper deal before you book.

It’s always worth booking a fully flexible flight if you think there’s a chance your meeting may be rescheduled. These are more expensive than non-transferable flights but could end up saving you money in the long run as non-transferable flights generally mean you’ll lose the cost of that flight and have to rebook all over again, effectively meaning you’ll pay twice.

In addition, if much of your business is conducted in North America, there are a number of business class only airlines such as Silverjet, Maxjet and EOS that offer frequent direct flights for a fraction of the cost of flying business class on Europe’s flag carriers.

Finding the right hotel for your specific needs can be tricky. Generalist travel sites aren’t set up to offer the level of detail many business travellers require so... continued on page two >

 

 

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