1. Home
2. Blog
3. How to Ensure that Your Team Enjoys Comfortable Accommodation During International Trade Fairs and Exhibitions

How to Ensure that Your Team Enjoys Comfortable Accommodation During International Trade Fairs and Exhibitions

It can be a daunting task to send your team to any trade fair or exhibition as planning involves multiple moving parts.

The difficulty level only increases when the team has to travel internationally to get to the gig. Your team’s success hinges on how comfortable and supported they are during the trip and a big part of that is accommodation.

First, factor in the destination and what that means for your requirements.

You have to understand that international travel is taxing first and foremost.

When you book accommodation for your team, you have to make choices with this in mind. How long is the flight? Are there several flights? Are your employees changing time zones and how many? When are they landing?

The answers to these questions determine what amenities should be prioritized. Generally, the longer someone is flying the more they need in terms of amenities to hit the ground running when they don their lanyards and take their spot behind the company stand. If your destination is several time zones away, then you need to consider jet lag and quality of sleep.

A good night’s rest will guarantee that your team gives their very best on the exhibition floor. After all, any exhibition or trade fair worth their salt will require stamina. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!

What to look for:

• Hotels that have sound insulation and have blackout curtains. These are indispensable for catching up on sleep, especially if your internal clock needs adjusting.
• Positive reviews about sleep quality.
• Any mention of mattresses.

What to avoid:

• Suspiciously low prices. Deals that are ‘too good to be true’ are cheap for a reason. Be sure to do your due diligence when selecting hotels.
• Hostels, co-living spaces and Airbnb listings. You run the risk of placing your team in an uncomfortable situation. The rooms may not be as advertised and Airbnb hosts have been known to drop your reservation without any notice or reason. Trust established business hotels that know what they’re doing. This goes double when booking rooms for large teams.

Beds are one thing. The location is king.

The location of where your team will stay is perhaps the single most important thing to consider as logistics are time consuming and expensive otherwise.

The earlier you start planning your trip, the more options you have to book rooms closer to the exhibition centre. It’s crucial to minimize commutes between the hotels and the event. Time is of the essence during any type of event, even if it’s a small, niche trade fair.

If walking distance is impossible, then hotels with a direct line to the exhibition centre will do.

What to look out for:

• Multiple lines of transportation that do not limit your team to following a single timetable.
• Knowledge of public holidays. Some exhibitions might happen during national holidays and it’s key to be aware of how that will affect commuting. In most cases, schedules will be amended and service might be sparse.
• Support from the event itself. Big international events will often provide special passes for attendees for the duration of the event, which definitely makes commuting easier and less expensive. Your employees will also have fewer expenses to track and provide at the end of the trip.

What to avoid:

• Judging a hotel’s distance to the exhibition centre without taking into account any bus, tram or metro lines. A hotel that might be 20 minutes on foot, might not have any public transport service nearby, which poses challenges for employees. The route on foot might not be easily accessible for the disabled.
• Consider hotels that require your team to change transportation to get to the event. You lose unnecessary time and then pay for needless expenses. Location should be your top priority.

One more thing about logistics.

It’s important to prep your team on how to get to their hotel.

Have you made provisions for the transfer from the airport to their accommodation? If you’re a small company with a modest budget, your employees will be well aware that they’ll have to figure out their way to their accommodation. In most big cities, public transport makes this task nearly effortless. But it’s nice to take the initiative and inform them of the best routes.

Provide schedules for shuttles and the most useful modes of transportation on ground. If this is a new event you want to frequent in the future, then gather all the information possible and pass it out ahead of each new business trip. But for starters, do a bit of research.

A couple of other things to consider:

• Arrival at night is stressful. If possible, avoid night flights as they will create obstacles for your employees to get to their hotel. Unless you have the budget to cover taxi fare.
• The best thing to do is arrange for an airport transfer when possible for a large team. If you’re sending more than three people, it’s best to make the journey as hassle-free as you can. Arrange for a van to meet your team at the airport and deliver them directly to their rooms. After a long flight that arrives at night, this will be a huge help for your employees, who are likely to be exhausted.
• Communicate the itinerary and what’s expected of them. It’s also good to have a very clear reimbursement policy that will cover all relevant expenses that your team might accrue during their travels.

But the best course of action would be to turn to a professional and place the comfort of your team in their hands.

GETA has done this for the better part of two decades and we know all the common pitfalls to avoid. Plus, we’ve serviced clients at every major city across Europe, Asia, and the United States, and know what each big exhibition and trade fair demands from business travelers.