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Business Travel: The Beginner’s Guide

June 12, 2019

by Rob Browne

In a world where it has become as easy as a quick few taps on smartphone to book a trip across the world, business travel is more widespread and accessible than ever before.

Are you a recent graduate or new employee looking for an introduction to business travel? This article provides an overview of the field as a whole as well as a guide to traveling for work and managing your business travel expenses .

What is business travel? A step-by-step business trip guide

Research from Statista shows that business travel contributes almost $1.3 trillion to the global economy in a single year, making it one of the world’s largest economic industries. Further research highlights only upward trends in the amount that is spent on business travel as well.

This research reflects an increasingly intertwined global economy. With the speed at which businesses on opposite sides of the world can interact over the internet and travel to meet with each other, employees are operating in a space where location is fluid and business interests can converge across state, national, and continental lines.

Thus, business travel is a vital part of many companies’ lifebloods. In this article, we’ll explore the four temporal components of a business trip and use them as a lens through which to discuss business travel.

Booking business travel

Oftentimes, the dates and general logistics of your business trip are determined by the wants and needs of the client(s) you visit on the trip. If possible, it’s always best to book as far in advance as you can to plan on being out of office. Of course this won’t always be the case, as business trips occasionally arise on short notice if a client needs a quick turnaround time on a particular task that requires a visit.

Booking a business trip is not the same as browsing the internet for the best deals on a family vacation . The online booking platform (OBT) that you use for securing your transportation and hotel depends on your company’s internal travel policy.

Some companies require their employees to book through a specific brand of travel management software  or using a travel management company . A key motivator for companies to use travel management software is that it makes it easier to ensure that employees comply with corporate travel policies. These policies include which airfare class employees are allowed to book, which hotel star class they can stay in, and the class of rental car they can use.

For others, booking your business trip may be a similar experience to booking a trip outside of work, as some companies tolerate open market bookings.

The rigidity with which you’ll be dealing with in terms of booking compliance is dependent upon your company’s travel policy and budget. In most cases, you’ll be looking at a range of mid-tier flight and hotel options that best fit your needs in terms of schedule and distance from the site where you’ll conduct most of your business.

Preparing for the trip

Business trips are often short and have a singular purpose. Get to your destination, meet with the people you need to meet with, and go home. Because of the high energy level required for such a focused itinerary, you’ll want to make sure that you are well-rested going into the trip.

After arriving at your destination, there may not be time to catch a nap  before heading to your first meeting, so you’ll want to ensure that you are able to operate at peak performance as soon as you arrive.

Travel with your important items in your carry-on bag just in case anything happens to your checked luggage. Almost everything you bring on a business trip should be essential to your work, and with a short turnaround between arrival and meetings, you can’t risk not having item X, Y, Z..

On the trip

While on your trip, optimize for everything you can. Outside of any business-related commitments, you’ll want to make sure you have as much time as you need for your work. If there is a particular company policy regarding a daily per diem, or allowance, for meals or transportation, you’ll also need to keep that in mind.

If your trip is to a destination with a lot to see outside business hours or a place where you have friends or family, you can also check with your company’s travel policy regarding bleisure travel. Bleisure, a combination of “business” and “leisure,” means adding a few days onto the beginning or end of your trip to enjoy the opportunity to spend some time not only inside an office.

After the trip

The most important part of finishing a business trip is gathering your expenses and filing an expense report. Between flights, hotels, other transportation, and food, you likely spend a decent amount of money and would like your expenses to be approved and reimbursed as quickly as possible.

Having your expenses approved and reimbursed is typically an easy process, especially if your company uses a form of expense management software .

It’s a trip!

Traveling for work may seem daunting, but thinking about your trip in terms of these four segments will help you succeed at all points of your trip. If your job allows you the opportunity  to spend time outside of your office, enjoy it—and maybe spend time in some exciting destinations along the way.

Rob is a former content associate at G2. Originally from New Jersey, he previously worked at an NYC-based business travel startup. (he/him/his)

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What Is Business Travel? Importance and Types

Business travel has always been an integral part of the corporate world. It provides opportunities to meet clients face-to-face, attend conferences and networking events, and explore new markets. 

However, as much as business travel can be exciting, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. From flight delays and cancellations to tracking approvals and keeping spending in check, numerous obstacles can make business travel stressful and overwhelming. 

In this blog, we will explore the challenges and solutions of business travel and provide insights on how businesses can optimize their policies and practices to make them more efficient, cost-effective, and enjoyable for everyone involved. 

What is Business Travel?

Millions of professionals worldwide engage in business travel each year. Business travel is when you hit the road or take to the skies for work-related purposes. So, if you've ever traveled across state lines for a meeting or hopped on a plane for a conference, you've been on a business trip. 

According to  the Bureau of Transportation Statistics , Americans take over 400 million long-distance business trips yearly, accounting for roughly 16% of all long-distance travel.

What is the Importance of Business Travel?

It's clear that business travel is a significant part of many companies' operations, but what motivates them to send their employees on these journeys? There are several reasons why companies invest in business travel. Here are some of them: 

1. Closing Deals

Business deals often involve significant negotiation, and in-person meetings can be critical to reaching an agreement. When people meet in person, they can build trust and establish personal connections that are difficult to achieve through virtual communication. As such, closing deals in person is a common reason for business travel. 

2. Exploring New Markets

Companies looking to expand into new markets often send representatives to explore the conditions on the ground and conduct research. Visiting a new market can provide valuable insights into consumer behavior, local regulations, and cultural norms that can help companies tailor their products and services to a new audience. 

3. Building Relationships

One of the primary advantages of business travel is its opportunity to build stronger relationships with clients, partners, and colleagues. While email, phone, and video conferencing are convenient, nothing beats face-to-face interactions regarding establishing trust and rapport.

You can pick up on nonverbal cues during in-person meetings and establish a more personal connection. It can lead to a deeper understanding of the other person's needs and goals, which can ultimately help you provide better service or products. Additionally, in-person meetings can help address any concerns or issues more quickly and efficiently, preventing them from becoming more significant problems down the line. 

4. Networking

Attending industry events, trade shows, and conferences can provide networking opportunities, learning about new trends, and meeting potential clients and partners.

Networking can be invaluable for building relationships, finding new clients or partners, and staying up-to-date with industry best practices. For example, attending a trade show can provide opportunities to showcase your products or services, meet potential clients, and learn about the latest market trends. 

5. Competitive Advantage

Companies prioritizing business travel and investing in face-to-face meetings with clients and partners can gain a competitive advantage over those relying solely on digital communication. By meeting with clients and partners in person, companies can establish more personal connections and build trust, leading to more business opportunities and revenue. 

Here's a  business travel checklist  to make business travel for your employees less stressful. 

Different Types of Business Travel

Business travel can take many forms, depending on the purpose of the trip and the activities involved. Here are some of the most common types of business travel: 

• Event and Conference Travel:  Companies often send employees to corporate events and conferences where attendees can learn and network with peers, potential clients, and service providers. 
• Training and Education: Companies may send employees to conferences and workshops to learn about trends and best practices in their functional areas. These events can provide valuable opportunities for professional development and networking, helping employees stay up-to-date on the latest industry developments and build relationships with others in their field. 
• Internal Meetings and Visiting Offices:  National and multinational companies may need to send employees and leadership to other offices to discuss specific projects and business strategies or to build a more integrated organizational culture. 
• Company Retreats:  Some companies hold retreats annually or multiple times yearly to help teams grow stronger and build company culture through shared activities.
• Client Meetings:  Maintaining solid relationships with existing clients is crucial for many businesses. Account managers and others may regularly visit their most prominent clients to check in on them, take them out for a meal or drink, and generally show gratitude for their business. These visits can strengthen relationships and potentially lead to additional business. 
• Trade Fairs:  Many organizations attend trade shows and expos to display their products and services and connect with potential clients. Attending these events can effectively generate leads and build relationships with potential customers, especially in industries where face-to-face interactions are critical. 
• Transfers and Offshore Work:  Long-term transfers involve relocating employees to a different city or country for a certain period, usually to work on a specific project or set up a new function or business process. 
• Transient Travel:   Business transient  travelers typically refer to individuals who frequently travel for short periods, often for a business meeting or work-related. These travelers usually stay in hotels or temporary accommodations and frequently move between locations for work or other activities. 
• Bleisure Travel:  This hybrid travel style combines business and leisure travel, allowing employees to extend their business trips to leave time for sightseeing and relaxation. Bleisure travel can benefit employers and employees, encouraging employees to volunteer for business trips more often and providing a relaxing break. 

Top Challenges To Manage Business Travel 

As many businesses need help managing company travel, several issues affect day-to-day operations. These include: 

1. Managing Large Numbers of Requests

When managing large numbers of travel requests, keeping track of all the information and ensuring that requests are processed efficiently can be challenging. It can result in delays and frustration for employees waiting for travel approvals or information. 

For example, imagine a small company with just one finance person responsible for managing all travel requests. They receive requests from various team members in different formats—email, Slack messages, and in-person visits. It can lead to confusion and delays in processing the requests and distract the finance person from other essential tasks. 

2. Tracking Approvals

It's a massive headache if your company's travel approvals are manually emailed. Tracking travel approvals can be time-consuming and prone to errors. It can result in missed approvals, delayed travel, and frustration for employees waiting for approval. 

Imagine a team member submits a travel request, and the finance person then sends an email to the manager for approval. If the manager is busy or forgets to respond, the request may be delayed or even missed altogether, causing frustration for the employee who is scheduled to travel. 

3. Keeping Spending in Check

Managing travel costs can be difficult, especially when employees book trips independently or through different channels. It can result in overspending and frustration for finance teams who aim to keep costs under control. 

For example, imagine a company where employees book travel through different channels. Some employees book expensive hotels and flights, while others find cheaper options on discount travel websites. It can lead to inconsistency in travel costs and make it difficult for the finance team to manage and budget travel expenses. 

4. Being Flexible

Flexible travel policies can result in consistency, especially when balancing cost control with employee satisfaction. It can result in frustration for both employees and finance teams. 

For example, a business with restrictive travel policies can limit employees to specific airlines, hotels, and routes. It may help control costs, restrict employee options, and make travel less enjoyable. On the other hand, if policies are flexible, employees may book expensive options outside the budget. 

5. Reducing Errors

Reducing errors in travel management can be challenging, but it is essential to ensure accurate tracking of expenses and approvals. This can help prevent delays and frustration for employees and finance teams. 

How Companies Can Manage Business Travel  

Companies must make the process straightforward to ensure that team members comply with travel policies. If the process is simple, team members will find ways to circumvent the rules, and compliance will improve. The following are some common pitfalls to avoid: 

• Too many rules:  Too many, incredibly confusing or contradictory, can be overwhelming and frustrating for team members. It can lead to non-compliance or errors. 
• A high number of touches:  Too many touchpoints, like requiring additional emails to managers for approval, can slow down the process and make it difficult. 
• Lots of manual steps:  Requiring team members to file printed documents and receipts can be time-consuming and create opportunities for errors. 
• Unclear processes:  If team members are unsure of the steps or rules they must follow, they may become frustrated and disengage from the process. 

To ensure compliance and simplify the process, use  a corporate travel management system  that walks employees through each step. By automating the process and making it easy and intuitive, team members are more likely to follow the rules and comply with company policies. 

What is a Business Travel Solution? 

A travel management system is a software platform that helps companies manage their employees' travel-related activities and expenses. These systems can be purpose-built tools from third parties or developed in-house by large companies. However, building a travel management system from scratch doesn't make sense with the availability of corporate travel management tools out of the box for a relatively low cost. 

These systems aim to oversee, regulate, and coordinate a company's employees' travel activities and expenses. Previously, a company's office administrators or a dedicated travel manager would handle these tasks. However, with a travel management system, these manual tasks can be streamlined or automated, freeing up staff for more valuable work than monitoring others' travel plans. 

A  business travel solution  typically offers features such as online booking, expense tracking, policy compliance, travel budgeting, and reporting. They make booking, managing, and tracking business travel much simpler and more efficient for companies and their employees.  

As a business, it's essential to recognize the value of investing in business travel. There are numerous reasons why companies send their employees on these trips, including closing deals, exploring new markets, holding internal meetings, prospecting, educating, and visiting existing clients. These opportunities provide valuable experiences and insights to enhance your company's operations and bottom line. 

However, managing business travel can present challenges, such as managing large requests, tracking approvals, and dealing with changes in travel plans. To address these challenges, it's crucial to have a straightforward and streamlined travel policy outlining the process for requesting, approving, and booking travel and any expense and reimbursement policies. 

Another essential aspect of managing business travel is providing support and resources to employees while on the road. It includes ensuring they have the necessary technology and tools to stay connected and productive, providing guidance on safety and security, and offering access to travel support services in emergencies.

By recognizing the importance of business travel and implementing strategies to manage it effectively, your company can reap the benefits of enhanced collaboration, improved relationships with clients and partners, and increased opportunities for growth and success. 

So let your employees stay connected, build relationships and enjoy their next business trip!

John Hunter

John is the Senior Manager of Event Cloud Content Marketing at Cvent. He has 11 years of experience writing about the meetings and events industry. John also has extensive copywriting experience across diverse industries, including broadcast television, retail advertising, associations, higher education, and corporate PR.

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Top tips on how to plan a business trip

Follow these 6 steps for an effective business trip:

• Make your travel arrangements well in advance
• Select your accommodation based on both price and convenience
• Create an itinerary

Research your destination

• Remember your electronics, accessories and travel documents
• Prepare for your meeting

In today’s digital world, we can communicate across different time zones at a moment’s notice. However, when it comes to brokering a big deal or fostering a solid and long-lasting business relationship, nothing beats face-to-face interaction.  

Corporate travel is still so important, and it’s equally important for anyone making a business trip to prepare thoroughly. When you arrive at your destination relaxed and well-prepared, you’re better equipped to make a good impression and focus on the purpose of your meeting. Preparation lets your mind focus on the here and now, making sure you stay on the ball in that all-important meeting. If you’d like to fine-tune how you get ready for your next excursion, follow these essential tips to become an effective business trip planner.

Make travel arrangements

Whether it’s your name on the travel documents or you’re a travel manager, planning business travel thoroughly is important. Your first step should always be to familiarize yourself with your company’s corporate travel policy . You’re making travel arrangements for a business trip, not planning a personal or a short break, so being compliant with your company policy is essential.

Next, it’s time to book your travel. This may involve traveling by air, rail, car hire or even boat. Think about the journey door-to-door, balancing travel times against cost and convenience. Visualize the various steps of the trip from A to B. Consider details like how long it will take to move between airport and railway station, the time it takes to fill out paperwork at the vehicle hire company, and whether luggage storage might be useful. Use multiple sources and different comparison sites, researching which companies are offering the best deals. Again, be aware of any budget restraints in your company’s travel policy.

Don’t forget the small details. Does the airplane have Wi-Fi so you can work on the move? Would leaving a day earlier allow you to arrive at your first meeting better rested and prepared? At this stage, the more carefully you prepare, the more confident and relaxed you’ll be when you depart.

Select your accommodation

Preparing business travel is, of course, only half the job. Choosing the best accommodation for your requirements is also essential. If you’ve only got one meeting place to reach, make sure you book a hotel that’s nearby – rather than be swayed by a more luxurious option that might be a stressful 45 minute trip away. Use maps on your smartphone to measure distances from the station or airport to your hotel – and remember the roads and transport networks will be busier at certain times of day.

Check your company’s hotel policies to see if there are any preferred hotels - you might be able to get a good deal too. When considering the cost, make sure you compare rates for similar types of accommodation and make sure you select something that’s fairly priced – some companies even stipulate a cost per day that would limit the choice of hotels.

It’s also a good idea to pay close attention to the amenities at the hotel. Some tourist-focused hotels may serve breakfast too late for your early starts, and as a business traveler you’re likely to want free Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, plenty of power points for charging your devices. CWT Hotel Intel gives travelers access to trusted peer hotel reviews and can be a handy tool for business trip planners.

Create a detailed itinerary

Your itinerary is your blueprint for a successful business trip. Use it to stay in control of every detail – from transport times and the names of those you’re meeting, to your travel reservations and hotel address. Be sure to allow yourself extra time on your itinerary for relaxing, meetings that have been delayed or overrun, and busy traffic. Consider using a specially designed tool like the myCWT app , which syncs your itinerary with work calendars, and allows travelers to share this with colleagues. This is handy from a communication and efficiency perspective, and as a safety measure if you’re travelling to an unfamiliar destination.

It may be that you’re traveling to a destination you are familiar with and feel comfortable in. Or, you may be entering unchartered territory. If that’s the case, research is essential to avoid unnecessary risk. For example, some cities are well known for pick pockets, so you’ll need to be extra careful when storing important and expensive items like phones in your pockets. Depending on where you’re going, reading up on the current political situation at your destination could also be prudent.

Perhaps you’re traveling to a city or country with a different culture and customs to your own. Avoid looking foolish or, worse, causing offence, by researching the differences in behavior and manners before you arrive. For example, if you’re taking potential clients for a meal, do you know the etiquette on tipping, or when to give people your business cards? Or, if you’re visiting a country where English isn’t the common language, you could even learn a few basic phrases, such as greetings and “thank you”, which could make all the difference when making a good first impression.

Prepare your travel documents

Hours of careful preparation and research will all be wasted if you forget vital travel documents. Traveling between countries requires a current, valid passport, travel tickets and sometimes a visa. It’s key to research whether or not you need a visa as soon as possible, even if you are just transiting through a country, without stepping foot outside the airport. Some embassies can take a number of days or even weeks to issue visas. Even if you’re not traveling to a different country, you may need photo ID to clarify that your name corresponds to the one on the ticket - your passport or driving license are the best options so keep them safe at all times.

Remember your electronic accessories

Stay as productive as possible on your trip by taking a laptop or tablet – it’ll make your travel time really count. Remember to pack the relevant chargers and adapters, too. You can usually pick these up at the airport when you’re passing through, but being prepared is key and will save you time and money in the long run.

Get ready for your meeting

So you’ve followed all the right steps for planning a business trip, but what about your business objectives and the meeting itself? Making a note of what you hope to achieve on the trip can help improve your focus - even if you simply want to reach out to new contacts or gain a general overview of potential new client. Arm yourself with as much information as possible about the people you’ll meet, as well as the places they’ll be. What’s the dress code? If you’re visiting an industrial site, for example, will you need sturdy shoes? If you’re going to be giving a presentation, what format will it take and will your host have the equipment you need? Simply emailing ahead to check if they have suitable screens and cables can ensure you avoid embarrassing delays or confusion that would get your meeting off to an awkward start. That first impression counts so give yourself the best chance of making a good one.

By setting aside the time to prepare, conducting some detailed research and following these business travel tips, you can optimize your chances of a productive and enjoyable trip.

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Top Business Travel Trends & Topics 2024

Dec 24, 2023 | Aiport Concierge , Airport Life

Table of Contents

Nowadays business travel shows no sign of slowing down as the world opens to a new era of travel. Even in this world of instant communication and social media, business travel is as necessary and advantageous as ever where Global Business Travel Association recently announced a surge in business travel demand.

Business Travelers are hitting the road for meetings and conferences and sales presentations, etc. Therefore, Business travelers are looking for service providers who can value add to their offerings with additional amenities, drinks, extra legroom, and other inclusions and services.

Why Do Businessmen Travel So Much?

Businessmen usually travel to a different location for meeting suppliers or business partners , attending business meeting, conferences, Trade shows, exhibitions, investment, opening new offices and branches for their company and much more. Clearly, companies still see value in business travel. One of the main reasons why business travel is important is the personal interaction that builds good foundations for a future or existing relationship. This can also reduce miscommunication and encourage almost a sense of unity. As the concept of travel looks to be a reliable tool that helps you to streamline your business operations at a higher level.

Travelling makes business managers or owners establish many new connections. More importantly, it provides you with an opportunity to meet different kinds of people such as investors, freelancers, suppliers, and so on. Interestingly, you can also meet many potential customers who can create a great impact on your business.

airssist offers high quality services for business travelers , which save their time and make their business trip easier and more enjoyable such as; Meet and Greet , Fast Track, VIP Terminal , Airport Transfer , Executive Security, Airport Assistance and VIP Services

Top 6 Business Travel Trends & Topics 2024

Reviving Interest in Business Travel

When more and more businesses start holding in-person meetings and events again in 2024, business travel will likely be back to pre-pandemic levels. Spending on business travel will hit $1.4 trillion in 2024 and over $1.8 trillion by 2027, as predicted in the Business Travel Index Outlook study by GBTA .

The sector has begun to stabilize in 2023, propelled mostly by the return of international business travel and the revival of in-person meetings and events. We anticipate that this momentum will keep on growing at a strong pace into 2024.

The Growth of Bleisure: Combining Work and Play Vacations

The tastes of today’s business travelers trends & topics are evolving as they look for ways to mix work and pleasure, including staying for an extra weekend.

The business travelers trends & topics toward a younger workforce is mainly caused by changes in demographics. A new generation of workers is changing the nature of business travel by looking for ways to mix work and play.

Traveling professionals can take advantage of flexible travel schedules and relax thanks to this “ bleisure travel ” trend. The good news for hotels is that customers are reserving accommodations for longer duration than their events really last.

Sustainability is Receiving More Attention

Sustainable travel options, such as flying carbon offset or staying in Eco-friendly hotel room amenities, are becoming more appealing to organizations and business travelers who are concerned about their environmental impact.

Some current tendencies in Eco-friendly corporate travel are:

• Eco-friendly lodgings
• Green modes of transportation
• Electronic travel
• New policies for Eco-friendly vacations
• Sustainability reporting for business travel

Greater Application of Technology

In the future, technology will be an integral component of business travelers trends & topics, influencing the complete process of organizing meetings and events.

Platforms for sourcing venues will enable event organizers to locate and compare locations in accordance with their requirements, eliminating the need for site visits for each alternative. The utilization of virtual reality and augmented reality (VR/AR) for virtual site visits and training programs is anticipated to increase in business travel by 2024.

Platforms for corporate travel management will facilitate traveler monitoring, optimize reservations, and provide complete visibility into business travel expenditures. In addition, end-to-end corporate travel technology will be heavily utilized by organizations to manage logistics, obtain insights, ensure duty of care, and control costs.

New business travelers trends & topics will be powered by AI and machine learning and will be capable of analyzing data to suggest hotels, forecast flight delays, and more.

Innovative solutions will remain at the forefront of the business travel sector as it continues to become more dependent on technology for venue sourcing, travel management, trip planning, expense reporting, and more.

Secondary Market Expansion

Expansion into developing economies, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, will be a big theme in business travel in 2024.

An estimated 2,997.2 billion USD would change hands in the worldwide business travel market by 2030, up from $711.1B in 2021, a CAGR of 13.3%. A major factor fueling this expansion will be the quick penetration of developing countries in Africa and Asia.

A growing number of Asian nations, including India and Indonesia, are becoming popular destinations for business travelers. Alternative lodgings, such as vacation rentals, are experiencing explosive expansion to accommodate business visitors, and business travel agencies are increasing their presence in these areas to meet the demand.

To reach customers in these untapped areas, businesses will have to change the way they plan trips and work with their suppliers.

Connectivity and Personalization Are Needed by Business Travelers

Both vacationers and event organizers have come to anticipate individualized service from technological platforms. Guests in today’s tech-savvy world are looking for cutting-edge, hassle-free digital solutions to personalize their vacations and make the most of their time away.

The booking procedure is where it all begins. A recent survey found that eighty percent of vacationers consider booking their entire trip online to be extremely important. So, it’s important for hotels to let customers simply browse and filter the services and amenities they may expect when they arrive.

Travel apps that make things easier are appreciated by 76% of travelers worldwide. The seamless integration of personal devices with on-property technology, such as Wi-Fi and streaming apps, is emphasized by an additional 80% of respondents.

Mobile technology that people use every day, such as the ability to pay with a tap of a credit card or a smartwatch, are what tourists desire, beyond just communicating. The personalized experience and connectivity that visitors today expect can be achieved by utilizing their own devices and platforms.

Purposeful, ROI Trips Will Replace Unproductive Business Travel

A greater emphasis on return on investment (ROI) will characterize corporate travel in 2024. Traveling light with a briefcase is a thing of the past. Currently, the ROI and expected return on investment of each trip are meticulously assessed. Travel that directly impacts revenue, such as finalizing contracts or transactions, would be given more leeway for approval, whereas visits aimed at fostering relationships will be subject to additional scrutiny.

Travel is now less pleasant than in the past due to workforce shortages and supply chain concerns. There has also been an uptick in the frequency of flight delays. This complicates matters for travelers and could ruin their meeting encounters.

Staffing shortages can have a major influence on the guest experience, especially at hotels. Despite criticism from within the sector, hotels in 2024 will prioritize empathy training and service in order to provide guests with unforgettable stays.

Brands that care about their customers and the reasons they travel will breathe fresh vitality into business travel. Return on investment (ROI) and “Return on Experience” (ROTE) will dictate how businesses handle employee travel, with only worthwhile excursions approved.

7 Different Types of Business Travel Purposes

1- event and conference travel.

Many companies send their employees to corporate events and conferences. Conference attendees may attend seminars and workshops, as well as organized meals or networking sessions. These events are meant to offer professional learning and development, while facilitating networking with peers, potential clients, and service providers.

2- Company retreats

Some companies choose to hold retreats annually or multiple times per year. Corporate retreats help teams grow stronger and build company culture through shared activities. They can also provide remote teams with some much-needed “face time” — this is especially important for remote-first businesses, some of which don’t have any offices at all.

3- Internal meetings and visiting offices

For national and multinational companies with multiple offices, business travel is a key way to ensure the entire organization is aligned. Employees and leadership may need to travel to other offices to discuss specific projects and business strategy. They may also visit other offices to build a more integrated organizational culture.

4- Trade fairs

Trade fairs, also known as trade shows or trade exhibitions, are a key sales channel in certain industries. Trade fairs give companies the opportunity to present their products or services to interested buyers. They can be a valuable tool for direct sales, brand awareness, and building customer relationships.

Employees of both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) companies may  travel to exhibit at trade shows . B2B trade shows are focused more on relationship-building, while B2C trade shows are geared towards direct sales.

5- Client meetings

Employees or executives may need to travel to meet clients or prospects. In some countries, such as Japan, face-to-face meetings and informal gatherings are an important part of the local business culture, so business travel is essential in order to maintain strong client relationships.

6- Bleisure travel

Bleisure travel is very popular where Bleisure travelers extend their business trips to leave time for sightseeing and relaxation. Since business trips often involve visiting interesting new cities or countries, it’s understandable that many travelers are eager to make the most of their travel experience and see a bit of the world.This hybrid travel style can be beneficial to both employers and employees. By allowing bleisure travel, businesses can encourage employees to volunteer for business trips more often. In addition, travelers may benefit from the relaxing break, arriving back at the office refreshed and recharged.

7- Transfers and offshore work

While a typical business trip lasts only a few days or weeks, long-term transfers are a much more significant commitment. Employees sometimes need to relocate to a different city or country for a certain period of time. They may be required to work on a specific project, set up a new function or business process, or otherwise transfer knowledge from one location to another. Transfers are often more challenging than short-term business travel, especially when they involve moving to another country. In this case, businesses may need to handle visas and taxation paperwork. They’ll also need to support the transferred employee with issues like culture shock, finding housing, and setting up their lives in the new location.

airssist offers range of unique services for business travelers in more over 700 airports around the world, such as Airport Lounges service which are often filled with complimentary amenities such as premium food and snacks, fully stocked bars, modern shower facilities, fast Wi-Fi, plentiful power outlets, comfortable working areas and much more.

Business Travelers Needs:

Business travelers have specific needs that are different from those of leisure travelers. Here are some important considerations for business travelers:

1. Efficient Transportation: Business travelers need reliable and efficient modes of transportation to reach their destinations. This includes flights with convenient schedules, reliable ground transportation options such as taxis or car rentals, and access to public transportation if available.

2. Business-Friendly Accommodation: Business travelers require accommodations that offer a comfortable working environment. This includes amenities like high-speed internet access, a well-equipped workspace, and access to business centers or meeting rooms.

3. Connectivity: Business travelers need to stay connected while on the road. Access to reliable and fast internet connectivity is crucial for communication, accessing online resources, and conducting business-related tasks.

4. Convenient Location : Proximity to business centers, conference venues, and client offices is important for business travelers. Being located in or near commercial districts or business hubs can save valuable time and make it easier to attend meetings and events.

5. Security: Business travelers often carry important documents, electronic devices, and sensitive information. They require hotels or accommodations that provide adequate security measures, such as secure access to rooms, safes for storing valuables, and privacy features.

6. Business Services: Business travelers may need access to additional services such as photocopying, printing, faxing, courier services, and secretarial support. Hotels with business centers or concierge services can cater to these needs.

7. Fitness and Wellness Facilities: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle while traveling is crucial for business travelers. Hotels with fitness centers, swimming pools, or access to nearby gyms can help them stay active and relieve stress.

8. Dining Options: Business travelers often have time constraints and may need quick and convenient dining options. Hotels with on-site restaurants, room service, or nearby dining establishments can provide the necessary convenience.

9. Loyalty Programs: Many business travelers participate in loyalty programs offered by airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. These programs can provide benefits such as priority check-in, upgrades, and access to exclusive lounges.

10. Travel Support: Business travelers may require assistance with travel arrangements, itinerary changes, or other logistical needs. Access to a dedicated travel desk or concierge service can be invaluable in managing these aspects of their trip.

It’s worth noting that the specific needs of business travelers can vary depending on their industry, the purpose of their trip, and personal preferences. Therefore, it’s important for business travelers to communicate their requirements to travel agents or accommodation providers to ensure their needs are met.​

With airssist we ensure business travelers a relaxed business travel experience .

Frequency of Business Trips

Business Traveler travels 9 times a year on average as business trip frequency is between one and five times a year. Recently, Business trips are reported to last 6 days on average, with an average minimum of two and a maximum of 28 days.

The fact is, the younger members of the workforce aren’t complaining about having to travel for work as Most of them consider business travel to be a perk of the job, and 65% of them see it as a status symbol.

Why Business Travel Industry Is Growing?

Business travel is growing, thanks to factors like globalisation and the availability of flights where Business travel is a division of regular tourism in which people travel for a business-oriented purpose. It includes transportation, accommodation, business work, entertainment, and other activities.

The business travel segment witnesses the highest growth rate in Global travel & tourism industry, as employees working in multinational organizations are often required ttravel across various countries for business purposes. In business tourism, destinations are commercial places, which are well-developed and suited for trade work.

Which Businesses Industry Travel the Most?

Business travel is a critical input to virtually every industry and business. And some industries use travel much more intensely than others.

The industry of Food Processing and Services is an enormous and fast-growing industry with a high level of business travel intensity that jumped up the Global BTI (Business Travel International) rankings this year and is now the largest business travel sector in the world with $112.1 Billion USD spent on business travel.

6 Business Travel Advantages

When you have a busy travel schedule, you never know who you might meet, what skills you might acquire or what new horizons await. Here are 6 great benefits of business Travel:

1- Enjoying everything in the new place:

For instance, if you’re a history buff, it means limitless museums and historical sites and If you’re a foodie, this means staking out the best restaurants, food carts and hole in the wall diners around the world.

2- Face to face meetings are more effective

Remote interactions are adequate but not as effective as when you meet in real life. Face to face meetings are essential for established long term business relationships. You can get more deals made and create longer lasting and stronger business relationships when you meet face-to-face, as fostering and maintaining relationships is a vital part of the process.

3- No routine burnout for you

If you get bored doing the same old thing every day, business travel can help keep things interesting. It’s one way to make sure the daily grind isn’t so “daily” after all where humans are creatures of habit but also prone to boredom. Traveling for business ensures that you’ll never get stuck in the rut of daily routine.

4- Discover different ways of working

Travel is a fantastic tool for broadening your mind and expanding your knowledge. When you travel for business, you get the chance to experience new places, new cultures and different ways of working, all of which will help you build a more well-rounded world view. Interacting with and experiencing different cultures will also help to foster creativity, which you can then bring to your job. Research shows that business travel cultivated creativity and productivity, two traits which will help you get noticed at your job.

5- Build confidence

One of the most valuable benefits of travel is that it puts you out of your comfort zone and helps to build your confidence. As The commute to the office is automatic, our everyday tasks do not challenge us, but Business Travel plucks you out of that routine and challenges you to adapt to a whole new environment. Navigating a new city successfully, understanding and acknowledging cultural differences and successfully building a business relationship or closing a deal will give you a huge confidence boost and help you navigate unfamiliar and challenging situations in the future.

6- Time management

Business travel improves your time management skills in a great way. You cannot relax in your business travel as you have to follow your time schedules to meet your clients in your destination. An experienced traveller is considered to be a good planner in handling the available time. Remember the fact money lost can be recovered, but a time lost is lost forever.

airssist provides Business Travelers Meet and greet service in addition to Chauffeur & Limousine Service for business trip which include business travelers transportation from/to the airport , full-day transfer, or inter-city transfer for business travelers movement inside the city, Wide variety of luxury vehicles available for booking, Multi-lingual licensed drivers who are well acquainted with the requested city.

Note : Please note that the information on this page is generic & subject to change due to fluctuations in airport services. Kindly confirm service availability with our team, as offerings may vary daily.

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10 business travel questions asked the most 

If you’re an office manager, executive assistant, or you’ve somehow become responsible for organising business trips for your team, it's probably not the only thing on your plate. Business travel planning isn't easy, and you're likely to get asked plenty of repetitive (and perhaps even frustrating) questions.   

Here's a list of frequently asked traveller questions (and a cheat sheet with quick and easy answers so you can get hours back in your day!) 

1. How do I book a flight/hotel/car rental for my upcoming trip, or can you do it for me?

Booking travel is easier/faster/more cost-efficient if you use Melon. You can find everything you’re looking for in one place, and book your flights, hotel, and car rental in minutes. Plus, it’s super user-friendly and already has your profile loaded! 

Or, if your itinerary is really complicated, you can contact our dedicated travel consultant at Corporate Traveller. 

2. What are the best travel options for my budget and preferences?  

If you haven’t read it, our travel policy is loaded into Melon. It outlines what you can and can’t book. It should answer a lot of your business travel questions. You can choose to book yourself online with Melon, and it’ll flag if you are out of policy. Check it out and see what options are available! 

Also, our dedicated travel consultant at Corporate Traveller knows what is allowed, so if you run into any trouble or your trip is more complicated, they’ll let you know if you’re out of policy. 

3. Are there any travel restrictions or visa requirements for the destination I'm planning to visit?  

Great question! This information is really easy to find in Melon. If your trip is more complex and you’re visiting several countries, our team at Corporate Traveller will advise you. 

4. Sorry to call you at midnight but I’m in Europe and my flight just got cancelled. What do I do?  

That’s a bummer! Luckily, we have a 24/7 line for Corporate Traveller. The emergency contact number is on your itinerary and their after-hours team are travel experts who will sort you out ASAP. They might even have been alerted about your trip already. Ok, I’m going back to bed.  

5. Are there any corporate discounts or negotiated rates available?  

Yep, because we book everything through Corporate Traveller, we get access to discounted airfares with certain airlines, and we’ve also been able to negotiate special rates at certain hotel chains. We have access to Melon Exclusive deals, which gives us certain perks at some hotels like free breakfast, Wi-Fi, or even a late check-out if you need. Pro tip…when breakfast is included, your subsistence allowance goes further for lunch and dinner. 😉    

6. Can you help arrange a group meeting? And we also have to start planning the next quarterly conference. Can you help with that?   

Yep, the team at CT can manage this one for us too. If you send me the list of everyone who needs to be there and the dates of the meetings, I’ll get them to take care of it. Or actually, just send that info directly to Corporate Traveller and copy me in. Even better!  

7. How can I ensure traveller safety and security during the trip?  

Regardless of how you book your trip, we’ll be able to monitor you if something drastic happens in the world. If we need it, we’ll be alerted to where everyone is easily through the risk management tool in Melon. It shows us a dashboard of where everyone is and how we can easily get in touch. 

8. What about my frequent flyer programme? I want to make sure I get my points.   

Yep, you’ll still get points when you book through Corporate Traveller. In fact, if you set up your travel profile properly, they’ll have all your details on hand already. They’ll also know your preferences too – like whether you prefer the aisle or window seat.  

9. Can you recommend any travel apps or tools for better travel management?  

You bet! The Melon mobile app makes it super easy to book travel on the go. You can also easily access your travel itinerary, chat with an expert, and a lot more. Make sure to download it before you go! 

10. What about my---  

Don’t worry! There isn’t an answer we can’t find. Most information is easily accessible in Melon, on our travel policy, and if you’re still stuck, reach out to our dedicated travel consultant! No need to stress. They’ve managed all sorts of travel hiccups including missed and delayed flights, weather disruptions, lost luggage, global pandemics, and a whole lot more.  

For 30 years, Corporate Traveller has been lightening the load of travel management for executive assistants, travel bookers, administrative staff, and more. 

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10 Tips For Organizing A Successful Business Trip in 2023

When it comes to business travel, organization is key. By taking the time to plan and prepare for your trip, you can ensure that everything goes smoothly and that you make the most of your time away from the office. Here are ten tips to help you organize a successful business trip:

1. Plan ahead as much as possible

The more you can plan in advance, the better. This way, you can book your travel and accommodation well in advance, ensuring that you get the best rates. You can also use this time to research your destination and create a list of activities or places that you want to visit while you’re there.

2. Keep your itinerary flexible

While it’s important to plan ahead, you should also leave some room for flexibility in your itinerary. This way, if you have any unexpected delays or changes of plans, you won’t be thrown off course. Plus, having some free time in your schedule will allow you to explore your destination and perhaps find some new places that you didn’t know about in advance. 

3. Make use of technology

There are a number of helpful apps and websites that can make planning and executing a business trip much easier. From booking flights and hotels to finding restaurants and attractions, there’s an app for just about everything. Be sure to take advantage of these tools, such as business travel management software on Tracktime24.com , to make your trip as smooth as possible.

4. Stay connected.

If you’re traveling for business, it’s important to stay connected with your office. Be sure to bring along your laptop and any other devices you might need so that you can stay in touch with clients and colleagues. Additionally, consider investing in an international data plan for your phone so that you can stay connected even when there are no Wi-Fi hotspots available.

5. Keep your expenses in check

When you’re on a business trip, it’s important to keep track of your expenses. This way, you can make sure that you don’t overspend and end up going over budget. Be sure to save all of your receipts and keep track of how much money you’re spending each day.

6. Don’t forget to pack essentials

Be sure to pack all of the essentials for your trip, including a valid passport, any necessary visas, your laptop, chargers, and any medications you might need. It’s also a good idea to bring along a few changes of clothes and some comfortable shoes, in case you need to do any walking or sightseeing while you’re on your trip.

7. Stay safe

When you’re traveling, it’s important to stay safe and be aware of your surroundings. Be sure to research the local laws and customs before you travel so that you can avoid any potential trouble. Additionally, keep your valuables close to you at all times and be cautious when using ATMs or credit cards in unfamiliar locations.

8. Manage your time wisely

When you’re on a business trip, time management is key. Be sure to plan out your days so that you can make the most of your time and get everything done that you need to. Additionally, try to leave some free time in your schedule so that you can relax and enjoy your destination.

9. Keep your energy up

Traveling can be exhausting, so it’s important to keep your energy up. Be sure to eat healthy meals and get plenty of rest so that you can stay focused and productive while you’re on your trip. Additionally, consider carrying around snacks or energy bars so that you can stay fueled throughout the day.

10. Have a backup plan

No matter how well you plan, there’s always a chance that something can go wrong on a business trip. Be sure to have a backup plan in case your flight is delayed or canceled, or if you get sick or injured while you’re away from home. By having a contingency plan, you can rest assured knowing that you’ll be able to handle anything that comes your way.

11. Try Private! 

Our guide is primarily for “regular” business travelers. However, if you’re looking to splurge on your next business trip, you could research the best private jet companies and try flying private!

What are the benefits? 

• Essentially no waiting
• Typically direct flights
• A glass of champagne
• Flying in style

How to Start Planning a Business Trip

When planning a business trip, there are a few things you should keep in mind to make sure the trip is successful. First, you need to have a clear purpose for the trip. What are you hoping to accomplish? Once you know the purpose, you can start to plan the details of the trip. Who needs to come along? What meetings or events do you need to attend? What kind of budget do you have to work with? Keep these factors in mind as you begin to plan your trip.

Another important tip is to make sure you allow enough time to plan and prepare. Don’t try to cram everything into the last minute. Start planning as soon as possible so you can book flights and hotels in advance and have time to take care of any other details.

Finally, make sure you bring everything you’ll need on your journey. This includes your business materials, clothes, and any personal items you might need. By being prepared, you can avoid any stressful situations that might arise while you’re on the trip.

What not to do on a business trip

There are a few things you should avoid doing on a business trip in order to make sure it is successful. First, don’t try to cram too much into one trip. Trying to do too much can be overwhelming and lead to mistakes being made. It’s better to focus on a few key objectives and accomplish those rather than trying to do everything at once.

Another thing to avoid is overspending. When you’re on a business trip, it’s easy to let the expenses add up. However, it’s important to stick to your budget in order to avoid going into debt or putting your company in a difficult financial situation. Be sure to track all of your expenses and stay within your limit.

Finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself while you’re on the trip. Business trips can be exhausting, so make sure you get plenty of rest and eat healthy meals. Additionally, try to leave some free time in your schedule so that you can relax and recharge. By taking care of yourself, you’ll be able to stay focused and productive throughout the trip.

Travel essentials for business trips

There are a few essentials you should never forget to pack when traveling for business. First, be sure to bring along your laptop or tablet so you can stay connected and productive while you’re on the go. Additionally, pack any business materials you might need, such as business presentations or reports. You’ll also want to make sure you have the proper clothing for any meetings or events you’ll be attending. Finally, don’t forget to bring your passport and any other necessary travel documents. By being prepared, you can avoid any stressful situations that might arise while you’re on your trip.

Researching before going to a new place for business

When planning a business trip, it’s important to do your research in order to find the best possible destination for your needs. First, consider the purpose of the trip. What are you hoping to accomplish?

Once you know the purpose, you can start to narrow down your options. If you’re looking for a place to hold meetings and events, you’ll want to find a destination that has good infrastructure and plenty of hotel and conference space. If you’re looking for a place to network and build relationships , you’ll want to choose a destination with a vibrant business community.

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, take some time to read up on each potential destination. Look at travel guides, read articles, and see what other business travelers have to say. By doing your research, you can ensure you choose the best possible destination for your needs.

Business trips can be stressful, but by following these tips, you can ensure yours is successful. Remember to start planning early, pack everything you need, and take care of yourself while you’re on the trip. Additionally, be sure to do your research before choosing a destination. By being prepared, you can make sure your business trip is a success.

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20+ Great Business English Topics and Lesson Activities

For Business English students, it’s important that ESL lessons are based on the needs of their day-to-day work.

They want to practice situations taken from their professional environment, and discuss real-life Business English topics.

Some are: making phone calls, being able to hold and carry on conversations, speaking with colleagues, preparing and giving presentations, or negotiations. 

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Coming up with creative activities and finding good topics for your lessons can be tough and time-consuming.

The Business English activities in this post will save you time and effort in making quality content for your lessons.

About the Business English Topics And Activities

Topic: airbnb business travel, topic: commuting to work, topic: big business (amazon, coca-cola, netflix, etc.), topic: artificial intelligence and future technology, topic: music, bonus activity.

Lessons including well-designed activities will prepare your students for their professional lives and give them the necessary skills and vocabulary needed to communicate effectively in English.

The 20 activity suggestions you’ll find in this post relate to the topics of business travel, commuting to work, big business, artificial intelligence, technology, and music.

The activities you can do on these business English topics are from specific lesson plans based on videos , which come equipped with a range of different printable Business English worksheets , conversation topics, speaking exercises, listening activities, and writing exercises for adults.

Below are some examples of activities from these lessons that can help your Business English students improve their communication skills.

Airbnb has been expanding their services to open up the market for business travelers.

They are simplifying the process of booking and launched some tools which automatically organize your business trip expenses. This new business travel program is coming out strong.

• Phone Calling
• Writing Accommodation Descriptions
• Leaving Reviews
• Mobile App Concepts
• Debate With Hotel Owner
• Comparing and Contrasting

This topic works especially great with Business English lessons in the real estate, hospitality, or mobile app industries, but also in general for any businessmen or women who have to travel for their jobs.

This is an especially engaging Business English topic for a few reasons: it’s controversial (hotel owners aren’t happy about AirBnB) and it’s a hot topic (more and more people are choosing Airbnb over hotels).

Airbnb is a relatively new global powerhouse, revolutionizing the hospitality industry the same way that Uber revolutionized the taxi industry.

Activity: Phone Calling

Put students in pairs or a group. Assign each student a different role from the roles below, or they can choose one.

Students have to imagine that they are Airbnb hosts who just hosted:

• A small group of middle-aged business travelers
• A small group of young adult party travelers
• A small family of 4 with young children
• An individual traveler who came with his dog

Students then ‘call’ their ‘friends’ (another student in the class) to either leave a voicemail or talk about the experience (or complain about the experience!).

They should describe how the experience was as the host for these types of travelers:

• What was different about hosting each of their stays?
• Was it positive or negative and why?
• Did anything good, bad, surprising, or unusual happen during their stay?

You could even have them imagine what could be a positive and negative experience for hosting these types of travelers.

You could even get a bit more creative with this one by assigning a pair of students a role from the list above, and they have to call the ‘host’ (their partner) and ask them questions or make special requests about their stay, e.g:

• Am I allowed to bring my dog to your property?
• Is there a nice cafe in the area where I can bring my laptop to do work?
• We have a baby who cries a lot during the night. Will this bother you?

Even though with Airbnb, you would probably just message the host online, but in this case, you can make it a phone call to practice speaking.

Activity: Writing Accommodation or Property Descriptions & Reviews

Students work with a partner or group and imagine they are Airbnb hosts offering a special, exotic, or unique type of accommodation rental.

They should discuss and agree on the type of home rental they have to offer, where in the world it is, and create their own online listing for this rental on Airbnb.

In the listing, they should explain what type of rental it is, the location, the check-in and check-out procedure, a description and special features of the accommodation, and other housing details and rules.

Make students offer something different or special about their property – something they wouldn’t get somewhere else. Remember, they want to sell the experience!

Students then present their accommodation profile description to the other students in the class and then give their listing to another student or group.

The other student or group then makes a detailed review for that listing, imagining they actually stayed there.

Activity: Creating Mobile App Concepts in the Sharing Economy

Put students in pairs and give them a list of other mobile apps in the sharing economy.

• Neighborgoods

Based on the name of the app, students have to discuss and explain what they imagine the concept of the app to be and how it works.

After students work together for a couple of minutes, go around the class and ask them to report their answers. If they’re not able to imagine what it might be, you can just tell them.

Ask them questions like:

• Would this type of app be useful for you? Why or why not?
• Which app from this list would help you the most?

Try to create an in-depth class discussion about all of these apps.

For the apps listed above specifically, you can discuss things like:

• If parking is a problem for your students (JustPark)
• What they do with their dog when they go on a trip (DogVacay)
• If they would be interested to drive with a stranger for many hours (BlaBla Car)
• If they’ve ever eaten at someone’s home, from another country or culture (HomeDine)

Then, students can either work with the same or different partners to create their own concept for a mobile app in the sharing economy.

They should focus on things like:

• The special features of the app
• What problem it solves / Why it’s a good idea
• How it works
• What problems could happen when people use your app

An alternative to this one is I’ve also had students imagine that they were the founders of Airbnb, and they have to come up with their own detailed story behind the establishment of the company, which turned out to be a fun activity.

Activity: Debate Between AirBnB Representative and Hotel Owner

Put students in pairs or two small groups and they prepare for a debate.

One student or group takes the position of an AirBnB company representative and the other takes the position of a Hotel Owner.

Each side must prepare, defend, and present their positions to the other groups, presenting information about…

• Why they believe their accommodation service is better (at least 3 advantages of your service) Students must talk about the top reasons to stay in a hotel over Airbnb, or vice versa.
• If you think Airbnb should be legal or illegal and why (obviously the AirBnB rep will say it should be legal and the hotel owner will say it should be illegal)
• The positive impact your service has on society and the economy
• What actual people and guests have said about your accommodation services

You can refer to this article to help students talk about Airbnb versus hotels  if they are having trouble coming up with ideas.

Your role as the teacher will be the moderator during the debate – generating follow-up questions for the students or groups when they present their sides. Keep the debate clean and flowing smoothly.

Activity: Comparing and Contrasting (Hotels vs. AirBnB or Uber vs. Taxi)

If for any reason you don’t want to make this an official ‘debate,’ another thing you could do is just make it a general, in-depth class discussion, conversation, or compare & contrast about the advantages and disadvantages of staying in Airbnb in comparison with hotels.

Make sure students talk about their own experiences.

Transition the discussion to the conflict between Uber and Taxi, because they are facing a similar conflict for similar reasons.

If your students enjoyed the discussion about AirBnB and hotels, an interesting follow-up lesson topic for you might be about a  businessman who is building hotels designed for outer space .

Many businessmen and women in the modern world have to commute for hours and hours per week to their jobs or for work purposes. Sitting in the car or public transit like this can really have a negative impact on one’s overall lifestyle.

• Telling a Story
• Commenting on YouTube
• Expressing Frustrations or Complaining
• Talking About Lifestyle & Daily Routines

The reason this topic works so well in Business ESL lessons is that it reaches such a wide spectrum of people.

Everyone who has a job as an employee in a company, a school, a factory, etc has a unique situation. All Business English students usually have a lot to say about their experience commuting (or home office if they have that privilege!).

Activity: Telling a Story

Students work in pairs.

Student A: This student imagines that he/she spends a lot of time commuting and is very pessimistic about the situation.

This student believes that they have the worst commute in the world. Describe the situation in detail. The student should complain about it as much as possible and why they hate it so much.

They should take notes on:

• Where you live
• Your daily routine
• Where you go to work
• What’s so bad about the commute / What are the conditions of the commute
• How commuting makes you feel

The student then has to tell one negative story that they have had during their commute.

Student B: This student imagines that they spend a lot of time commuting but is very optimistic about the situation.

This student loves the situation that they have. They should discuss and explain in detail why they have the best commute in the world, talk about it as much as possible and why they enjoy it.

Also, they take notes on:

They tell one positive story that they’ve had during your commute.

After the students write notes for their roles (give them a few minutes), have them describe their situations to their partner.

They should listen to their partner’s situation carefully because they should then report the details of their partner’s situation back to the class!

Activity: Commenting on YouTube

At the beginning of the video, the reporter complains about her long daily routine and commute, and then she says to the audience:

“Before you go and post that comment telling me to ‘move closer’, you need to see that I’m not the only person doing this.”

In pairs, students should come up with a response that the following type of people would write or say to the reporter in the YouTube comments section, e.g:

• What could be a rude response to that statement in the comment section of the video?
• What could be an empathetic response to that statement in the comment section of the video?
• What could be a funny response to that statement in the comment section of the video?

Another activity you could do is give students some imaginary comments to that video, and then the students have to write responses to these imaginary comments. You can make it a speaking or writing activity.

For example, here are a few possible comments to that video:

Comment #1:

“Americans are completely crazy and lazy. You drive these huge cars to work and in  reality , you don’t need to. Look at the Netherlands and Denmark – they have very efficient bicycle transport systems and bicycles are much more environmental. It’s stupid to drive everywhere.”

Comment #2:

“The best solution to this problem is self-driving cars. Our tax money should go more to support the production of self-driving cars. That way when people commute they can do productive things.  The solution to public transit is getting better wifi connections on the subways and buses.”

You can instruct one student to write a response which agrees with each comment, and the other student to write a response which disagrees with each comment, something along those lines.

Activity: Expressing Frustrations & Complaining

Put students in pairs, or in two groups. You’ll distribute to each student pair or group two cards which read:

• A: Riding on public transport
• B: Driving in a car

Students must work together to come up with a list of all the things that frustrate them, annoy them, stress them out, or make them angry while (1) riding on public transport and (2) driving a car.

The group which comes up with the most things in the time limit (3 minutes should be good) wins.

This activity usually works really well because everyone gets angry, stressed, frustrated, etc. at some point while driving a car or riding public transportation.

A lot of good vocabulary can also come out of this one. You can even teach a couple of fun phrasal verbs related to driving when you talk about this topic:

• Cut (someone) off  – “I hate when I’m driving and someone cuts me off and then I have to slam on my brakes.”
• Pull (someone) over  – “I hate when I’m driving only a little bit above the speed limit and a police officer pulls me over.”
• Freak out  – “I hate driving with my father. He always drives aggressively and freaks out about small things.”
• Run over  – “I hate when I run over a nail or a sharp object and my tire goes flat.”
• Hold (someone) up  – “I hate when traffic holds me up and makes me late for work.”

You can use this activity for teaching students other terminology that is useful for expressing complaints or frustrations:

• I get frustrated when…
• I get all stressed out when…
• It gets me so worked up when…
• It pisses me off when…
• I totally freak out when…
• I lose my mind when…
• It drives me nuts when…

Have students then use these expressions to talk about their frustrations commuting or about their job in general.

Activity: Talking About Lifestyle, Commuting, and Employment Situations

Spending hours commuting and then hours at the office has become so integrated into the modern working world that it can have quite a profound impact on our quality of life and lifestyle, which is why it’s good to talk about in a language lesson.

Here’s an activity you can do that will give your students a good opportunity to talk about their lifestyle, commute, and employment situation.

It’s also simple, easy to prepare, and generates quality conversation.

Print a number of statements on cards and give them to the students or write them on the whiteboard in class.

Put students in pairs or groups. Have them discuss if they think the following statements are generally true or false and why:

• People are generally happier if they travel to work by car instead of public transportation.
• In the USA, people generally commute to work or school by train or bus.
• 10 days of paid vacation per year is fair from an employer.
• Regular exercise helps people deal with stress from work.
• People are more productive if they have a 4-day working week instead of 5.

Put students in pairs or groups. Have them discuss if the following statements are true or false for them personally and have them explain why:

• There is a positive working atmosphere at my job.
• I am satisfied with my work-life balance.
• Every day I eat a balanced and healthy breakfast before work.
• When I commute to work I try to be productive on the way.
• I prefer working from home rather than going to an office.
• I spend too much time at work socializing with my colleagues.

Speaking about daily routines is also a great activity if you’d like to focus on the present simple as a grammar point for your lesson.

Using big companies and corporations as a topic in your Business English lessons is practical for obvious reasons and you can make it fun too for your students.

It’s especially great to use big business as a topic if you actually have adult students who work in big companies, but they’re also applicable topics for students who have their own business or who work in smaller companies.

• History & Fun Facts
• Developing a Product
• Making Slogans
• Analyzing the Impact of Technology on Jobs

Activity: History & Fun Facts About Big Companies

As a lead-in or warm-up exercise to a lesson about big business, you can search and find some fun or interesting facts or history about the companies.

One quick activity you could do to lead to a topic is a simple fill-in-the-blank that looks something like this:

Below are 5 interesting facts about Amazon. Let the students fill in the blanks with words that they think fit.

• The founder Jeff Bazos wanted to name the company Amazon which has products from ‘A to Z’ symbolizing a large size, just like the Amazon ________________________ .
• Amazon.com started as a bookstore in Jeff Bazos’ ________________________ .
• The combined ________________________ of Amazon’s warehouses is enough to hold more water than 10,000 Olympic pools.
• Today Amazon has more than 350,000 ________________________ .
• One of Amazon’s first offices had a ________________________ which employees would  ring every time a sale was made.

Below are 5 interesting facts about Coca-Cola. Fill in the blanks with words that you think fit.

• The Coca-Cola ________________________ is recognized by 94% of the world’s population.
• The word “cola” is derived from the kola ________________________ , which contains caffeine and can have medicinal value.
• Coca-Cola can be a good ________________________ for insect bites on your skin.
• Coca-Cola spends more money on ________________________ than Microsoft and Apple combined.
• A few people once tried to sell the Coca-Cola ________________________ to Pepsi, but they were reported to the FBI.

A fun activity you can follow up with this one is instruct students to research any big business they have in mind and search for some fun facts about that company or the story behind how it started.

If they can’t think of one, you can give them  a list of the biggest or most well-known companies  in the world.

Have them give a few-minute presentation in the following lesson about the start or history of the company and a few fun facts about it. This is also good for developing presentation skills for adults in English.

They can use the questions below to help them give their presentation:

• Who started the company and when? How did the idea originate?
• What were some important moments in the company’s history?
• What are some of the company’s most successful products or services? Describe them in detail.
• What’s special or different about this company compared to the competitors?
• What are some fun facts about your company?

Activity: Developing a Product

Amazon launched a prototype store called ‘Amazon Go’ in December of 2017 – it’s a type of grocery store where you can go shopping and add things to your virtual cart so that you don’t have to wait in line or check out.

You add the products to your shopping cart and you can just leave the store, and Amazon will automatically charge your account.

They have developed other types of products and services over the years that have been successful, such as the Amazon Kindle (E-Reader) and Amazon Echo (voice-controlled smart speaker/personal assistant).

In this activity, what you do is have students work together on product development for Amazon or for another big company.

Students work with a partner or group. They imagine to be product developers for Amazon and create two of their own products, or services provided and sold by Amazon.

They should discuss and create names for the products or services, which industry the products or services are in, and then write a description for each explaining how it works, what problem it solves, what’s so special about it, as well as what problems they have experienced in the development.

It can be a special kind of mobile app, tech gadget, clothing item, or something else.

Of course, it doesn’t necessarily have to be from Amazon. You can have students choose another company.

One way you could get your students to come up with a good idea is instruct them to think of some brands that they generally buy, and then brainstorm what products they think would be cool to have from those brands.

Or you can have them think of some problems or frustrations they have in their daily life and what product or service would solve those problems for them. In the case of Amazon Go, the problem was that people hate waiting in lines at supermarkets.

Remind students that it doesn’t have to be realistic, it can be something imaginary.

Most of your students who will do this activity probably haven’t developed a product before. Keep it basic, simple, and fun, and it should go ok.

You just want students to be creative and work together to make something special.

One time I had a group who made a personal assistant who did all of his presentations for him because he hated public speaking, which I thought was pretty funny.

Students should then present their new product to the other students or groups.

Activity: Making Slogans

This is a straightforward activity and easy to assign and it works great with any student who is in marketing. Students also tend to have fun with it.

Basically, all you need to do is assign students to make a slogan for whatever company or brand you’re discussing.

One thing I’ve done to make it interesting and add a little twist to it is to have students make a list of good and bad slogans for one company.

That one has definitely brought a couple laughs to the lesson, especially for the bad slogans.

Here are a few examples I’ve gotten from students for bad company slogans for Coca-Cola:

• “Feed your sugar addiction.”
• “Put on the big pounds.”
• “Teeth are overrated.”

Anyway, give them some examples of some real slogans that have already existed for the brand before they make their own.

A few actual ones for Coca-Cola are:

• “Open Happiness”
• “Life Tastes Good.”
• “Taste the Feeling.”

The advantage of having students make their own slogan or quote is that it lets student use creativity. When students have to think creatively, they’re forced to use important vocabulary terms and language structures in a special kind of way.

In any case, have your students share and present their slogans and quotes to the other students in the class.

Another great type of ESL group activities are information gap activities. Get 10 ideas here.

Activity: Analyzing the Impact of Technology on Jobs

Another great theme and activity that comes from a discussion about companies like Amazon, is analyzing the impact of technology on jobs.

That’s one big criticism of concepts like Amazon Go that I’ve discussed with my students. The more jobs that robots do for us, the more jobs they take away from humans (Amazon Go takes jobs away from cashiers).

One activity you could do on this is to have students brainstorm and come up with two more jobs, companies, or businesses that have been taken over or lost to technological advances.

Students should specify the name or type of the technology, which industry it is in, and three general impacts of this technology (can be positive or negative impacts).

Two examples I remember hearing from students was about VHS and video rental stores being lost to online streaming services like Netflix, and driving jobs being lost to self-driving cars.

Technology : Online streaming

Industry : Entertainment

• It put VHS video rental stores out of business
• It makes people lazier because they don’t go to the video store anymore
• Illegal online pirating of films and TV becomes easier

Technology : Self-driving cars

Industry : Automotive

• Less need for delivery drivers, truckers, and taxis
• Fewer accidents on the road because machines are more precise than humans
• People can focus on other things in the car if they don’t have to concentrate on driving

You can give these examples to your students if they don’t think of them.

You can also give students the task of coming up with two jobs where it could be very difficult for technology to take over. Which jobs do you think technology couldn’t do in the future? Students should specify why it would be difficult to take over these jobs using this technology.

Doing an ESL lesson activity about the impact of technology on jobs leads us to the next point: Artificial intelligence and future technology, which has its feet in many industries and certainly draws interest from Business English students.

• Interview With a Humanoid Robot
• Making a Sci-Fi Film Plot
• Forming Opinions

This topic works especially great with Business English lessons in the IT or programming industry, but also in general for any businessmen or women who use technology regularly for their jobs.

This is an especially engaging Business English topic for a few reasons – it can get a little dark (a humanoid robot which can communicate freaks people out a bit!) and it’s also relevant – artificial intelligence and machine learning is making its way into a lot of industries, products, and software these days.

It’s interesting when the stuff that used to be sci-fi stuff turns into reality, and that’s what you want to focus on in your Business English lessons.

Activity: Interview With a Humanoid Robot

Watch the video about Sophia the robot with your students.

Basically, what students do is make an interview with her.

Sophia the robot makes for a great English lesson, period. Students are usually quite intrigued by “her” and there are so many different directions you can take this lesson.

After watching the video, instruct each student to create and write five extra questions that they would want to ask Sophia. (Questions which are not in the video interview).

After they are finished making their questions, they ask their partner the questions they made. Students then answer their partner’s questions from the perspective of Sophia the robot.

Here are some words or topics students could either use in their questions or use just as general topics to help them make their questions:

After a student answers each question, their partner should try to ask a follow-up question or two – a question you ask on the spot based on the answer you get.

Explain the concept of a follow-up question to your students and show them examples:

Original question : “What emotions do you feel?”

Answer : “I feel curious.”

Follow-up question : “Why do you feel curious?”

Answer : “I feel curious because I want to know why I was created and why I’m different than normal humans.”

Follow up question : “Can you imagine why you were created?”

Having students ask follow-up questions is great practice for developing interview and conversational skills because they have to think on their feet without time to prepare.

Activity: Making a Sci-Fi Film Plot

Watch the sci-fi short film about ‘Sight Systems’ which forecasts the evolution of ‘Google Glasses’ and Virtual Reality (which are also great topics to discuss in your Business English lessons).

After you watch the video with your students, a fun activity you could have your students do is to imagine that they are directors creating the next scenes to the short film they just watched about Sight Systems.

They should work in pairs and discuss and write what the next five scenes will be. Have them describe the scenes in detail and explain what happens in each scene.

Students then share what they came up with the other students in the class.

After this, put the students back together and they should come up with a short plot for a similar type of short film that they saw.

The plot must focus on the dangers of future technology. Alternatively, you could give them the option of creating a movie plot focusing on the bright sides of technology.

Activity: Forming Opinions and Interview Quotes

This activity can actually be applied to a range of different topics.

Put the students in pairs and have them imagine to be speaking from the perspective of the following companies or people.

Students have to make an opinion from the standpoint of each company or person.

• Gas Company
• Electric Car Company
• Solar Panel Company
• Environmental Activist
• Auto Technician
• Car Consumer

For the people above, you could have students imagine they were interviewed about their thoughts on electric charging highways.

What do they think about electric highways? Do they support or oppose them? Let them explain their opinion.

Then they have to agree on what would be the most important quote or statement from that interview.

Give students some  useful phrases for expressing opinions  to help them make their opinions or quotes, which are at least three sentences long and they explain their opinion.

You could give students an ideal example quote from an interview with an Environmental Activist:

“In the long-term, electric charging highways will be a great solution for decreasing pollution because it promotes the consumption and usage of electric vehicles, which are much better for the environment than gas-powered vehicles. However, in the short-term, electric charging highways could produce a negative impact on the environment because of the intense construction work that will be needed to create these highways all across the country. Therefore, I see a positive long-term effect and a negative short-term effect.”

You want your students to form something similar for each of the roles, then students should present the opinions or quotes they made together to the rest of the class.

Doing ESL lesson activities about music is fun and there’s a lot of different directions you can take this topic in a lesson.

Music is also a big business with all of the jobs in music production, sound technology, festivals, online streaming services like Spotify, and these days even vinyl is making a comeback.

• Organizing an Event
• Making a Business Plan
• Giving a Presentation

This topic works especially great with Business English lessons in the music industry, but also in general for any businessmen or women who use are interested in music.

This is an especially engaging Business English topic for a few reasons – people love music and it’s a big part of life for many people.

Activity: Organizing an Event

Have students work with a partner. They should imagine they are event organizers and are planning a festival concept for next summer.

They want to make it even better than the Belgian festival “Tomorrowland” and the most luxurious festival in the world.

What luxuries will there be? What special things can be added, implemented, planned, organized, or done in order to create a better festival experience for the guests?

Students should discuss these points together. They can use the discussion questions below to help them:

• What special luxuries, things, offers, products, facilities, and features you will provide?
• What will be different about the campsite? How will you make it better than Dreamville?
• Describe the atmosphere. What’s unique about the stages and performances?
• Describe the security concept. How will you make the event safe and what are the policies?

Students should then give a presentation about their festival concept to the other groups and describe in as much detail as possible what the festival will be like.

After hearing from the other groups, students can discuss which festival concept was the best and why and give advice about what might help their festival to be better.

Activity: Making a Business Plan

Students work together with a partner or group. They imagine that they are opening a vinyl store in their town. They must make a business plan and a to-do list.

Watch the video “Czech businessman leads vinyl revival” here.

They can answer these questions in their business plan:

• What is the name of your vinyl shop?
• Other than vinyls, what will you need to get started?
• How will your vinyl shop stand out from the competition?
• Describe what kind of theme or atmosphere the shop would have. How would you decorate the shop/front window?
• Describe your ideal kind of customer or target market.
• Describe your ideal kind of employee or shop assistant.
• What could be some clever ways to advertise your shop?
• What will be the biggest challenges of opening the shop?

Students can then present their business plan to the other students in the class.

Activity: Giving a Presentation

Students work with a partner or group. They imagine they are giving a presentation to a group of vinyl fanatics.

They should choose from one of the topics below they’d like to do a presentation about, or they can also make their own topic.

They should prepare and give a one-minute presentation to the other groups on their chosen topic.

Even if they don’t know much about the topic, you can just instruct them to be as creative as possible and come up with some interesting things to talk about.

Here are the topics they can choose from:

• How to create a sustainable future for vinyl
• The guide to shopping for and listening to vinyl like a pro
• The future of music
• Why the age of vinyl in the 70s beats today’s digital age
• The steps to starting up a successful vinyl shop

You can have students do research on the internet if they have access.

You can also give students the choice to also come up with their own idea for a presentation, anything in the music sector. It doesn’t have to be specifically related to vinyls.

The most important thing is that students have a structure for their presentation, have researched important information about it, and teach the class something interesting.

You can also have students include one of each of the following things in their presentation:

• A problem (Music has become too digital in modern ages.)
• A statistic or fact (Over 7.6 million vinyls were sold in the US in 2018.)
• An opinion (We believe that vinyls will continue to be popular for years.)
• A quote (Zdenek Pelc said, “If people like something, they need something touchable.”)

This one last bonus activity you could do will help your students develop the skills they need for business and professional reasons.

Have them give a “show and tell” presentation or just simply talk about three gadgets, tools, products, services, etc they’ve bought in the recent past related to one of their personal interests.

Have the students teach the class either how to use this product or service, how it works, why they bought it, what the features are, what problem it solves for them, etc.

Here are some actual examples from my students, which you can show your students to give them an idea of what you’re looking for:

• A new running watch
• A subscription to Netflix
• A Nintendo NES Classic Edition
• A new bicycle helmet
• A portable speaker

All of these activities referenced are meant to be engaging for your adult students in Business English lessons, but the most effective way to do them is with the full lesson plans via the links above.

Watching the videos with your students should generate extra discussion and give you extra content to work with.

Find more resources and ideas for your ESL lessons here.

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Related posts.

The Definitive Guide on Teaching English Pronunciation

150 ESL Conversation Starters and Questions (The Essential List)

10 Great Information Gap Activities for ESL Lessons

ESL Icebreakers: 8 Games & Activities For Students of All Ages

3 thoughts on “20+ great business english topics and lesson activities”.

Brilliant content. Relevant topics and articles with comprehensive structural lesson plans. Thank you.

Practicing the business English lessons in he student life can be very helpful in longer run. This helps in the proper development of the individual for professional world. Thanks so much for sharing this!

This sight seems to be very good. Complete lessons for a teacher like me. Thank you so much for sharing it free of charge.

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Topic no. 511, Business travel expenses

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Travel expenses are the ordinary and necessary expenses of traveling away from home for your business, profession, or job. You can't deduct expenses that are lavish or extravagant, or that are for personal purposes.

You're traveling away from home if your duties require you to be away from the general area of your tax home for a period substantially longer than an ordinary day's work, and you need to get sleep or rest to meet the demands of your work while away.

Generally, your tax home is the entire city or general area where your main place of business or work is located, regardless of where you maintain your family home. For example, you live with your family in Chicago but work in Milwaukee where you stay in a hotel and eat in restaurants. You return to Chicago every weekend. You may not deduct any of your travel, meals or lodging in Milwaukee because that's your tax home. Your travel on weekends to your family home in Chicago isn't for your work, so these expenses are also not deductible. If you regularly work in more than one place, your tax home is the general area where your main place of business or work is located.

In determining your main place of business, take into account the length of time you normally need to spend at each location for business purposes, the degree of business activity in each area, and the relative significance of the financial return from each area. However, the most important consideration is the length of time you spend at each location.

You can deduct travel expenses paid or incurred in connection with a temporary work assignment away from home. However, you can't deduct travel expenses paid in connection with an indefinite work assignment. Any work assignment in excess of one year is considered indefinite. Also, you may not deduct travel expenses at a work location if you realistically expect that you'll work there for more than one year, whether or not you actually work there that long. If you realistically expect to work at a temporary location for one year or less, and the expectation changes so that at some point you realistically expect to work there for more than one year, travel expenses become nondeductible when your expectation changes.

Travel expenses for conventions are deductible if you can show that your attendance benefits your trade or business. Special rules apply to conventions held outside the North American area.

Deductible travel expenses while away from home include, but aren't limited to, the costs of:

• Travel by airplane, train, bus or car between your home and your business destination. (If you're provided with a ticket or you're riding free as a result of a frequent traveler or similar program, your cost is zero.)
• The airport or train station and your hotel,
• The hotel and the work location of your customers or clients, your business meeting place, or your temporary work location.
• Shipping of baggage, and sample or display material between your regular and temporary work locations.
• Using your car while at your business destination. You can deduct actual expenses or the standard mileage rate, as well as business-related tolls and parking fees. If you rent a car, you can deduct only the business-use portion for the expenses.
• Lodging and non-entertainment-related meals.
• Dry cleaning and laundry.
• Business calls while on your business trip. (This includes business communications by fax machine or other communication devices.)
• Tips you pay for services related to any of these expenses.
• Other similar ordinary and necessary expenses related to your business travel. (These expenses might include transportation to and from a business meal, public stenographer's fees, computer rental fees, and operating and maintaining a house trailer.)

Instead of keeping records of your meal expenses and deducting the actual cost, you can generally use a standard meal allowance, which varies depending on where you travel. The deduction for business meals is generally limited to 50% of the unreimbursed cost.

If you're self-employed, you can deduct travel expenses on Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship) , or if you're a farmer, on Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Farming .

If you're a member of the National Guard or military reserve, you may be able to claim a deduction for unreimbursed travel expenses paid in connection with the performance of services as a reservist that reduces your adjusted gross income. This travel must be overnight and more than 100 miles from your home. Expenses must be ordinary and necessary. This deduction is limited to the regular federal per diem rate (for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses) and the standard mileage rate (for car expenses) plus any parking fees, ferry fees, and tolls. Claim these expenses on Form 2106, Employee Business Expenses and report them on Form 1040 , Form 1040-SR , or Form 1040-NR as an adjustment to income.

Good records are essential. Refer to Topic no. 305 for information on recordkeeping. For more information on these and other travel expenses, refer to Publication 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses .

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A selection of business English discussion questions.

Other topics you may be interested in...

General topics.

Air Travel , Animals , Appearance , Art , Childhood , Cinema , Crime , Eating Out , Education , Environment , Ethics , Fame , Family , Fashion , Food , Football (Soccer) , Friendship , The Future , Globalisation , Health , History , Holidays (Vacations) , House and Home , The Internet , Language , Language Learning , Life , Literature , Marriage , The Media , Money , Music , Personality , Politics , Religion , Romance , Science , Shopping , Smartphones , Sport , Technology , Time , Town and City , Transport , Travel , University , Video Games , War , Weather , Work .

Business Topics

Advertising , Brands , Building Relationships , Change , Communication , Competition , Consultants , Crisis Management , Cultures , Customer Service , Employment Trends , Ethics , First Impressions , Human Resources , International Marketing , International Markets , Job Satisfaction , Leadership , Management Styles , Marketing , Mergers and Acquisitions , Money , New Business , Online Business , Organisation , Project Management , Raising Finance , Risk , Strategy , Success , Team Building , Training , Travel .

Grammar Topics

Present Simple , Present Continuous , Present Perfect , Present Perfect Continuous , Past Simple , Past Continuous , Used to , Have to , Going to / Pres. Continuous , Going to / Will , Comparatives , Superlatives , First Conditional , Second Conditional , Third Conditional , Mixed Conditionals , Should , Should have , Can , Could , Can / Could / Be able to , Is done / Was done , Being done / Been done .

How to use the travel ESL discussion questions

It is recommended that you download the travel ESL discussion questions in PDF format using one of the links above. The best way to encourage classroom interaction is to download and print the travel discussion questions in the 'pairs' or 'threes' PDF format and then divide the questions by cutting along the dotted lines. This allows students to take turns asking and answering the travel discussion questions in groups of two or three. Alternatively, you could use the 'cards' format to distribute the questions to any number of students to ask and share.

It is advisable to prepare students for using these discussion questions by first introducing them to the topic of travel in an interesting and engaging way. An anecdote, quiz question or a related image or video could all be used to achieve this. Depending on the level, it may also be necessary to pre-teach any challenging vocabulary related to travel contained in the discussion questions.

For more ESL discussion questions, see this site's main page. There are discussion questions on a range of topics including general, grammar and business English topics.

For further information about the site and its author, see the about page.

Business Travel

“Investment in travel is an investment in yourself.” Matthew Karsten, travel blogger

• December 9, 2021
• Business English
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Home » Business Travel

Latest lesson plans

This Business English lesson plan on business travel has been designed for business professionals or other adults and young adults at an intermediate (B1/B2) to advanced (C1/C2) level and should last around 45 to 60 minutes for one student.

People have travelled for business purposes since the emergence of commerce. Nowadays, instead of a caravan pulled by a camel along the silk road, we take these trips by car or plane. Many businesses are departments dedicated to these experiences. For some, business travel can be a stressful time; for others, it can be the opportunity to have an exciting new experience. In this Business English lesson plan on business travel, students will have the opportunity discuss and express their opinions on issues such as the pros and cons of business travel, their experiences travelling for work, and what to pack for a business trip.

For advice on how to use this English lesson plan and other lesson plans on this site, see the guide for ESL teachers .

PRE-CLASS ACTIVITIES

Reading activity Before the English class, send the following article to the students and ask them to read it while making a list of any new vocabulary or phrases they find (explain any the students don’t understand in the class):

INC | 12 Surprising Benefits of Business Travel

The article looks at a number of ways business travel can be beneficial, including exploring new places, escaping a routine, and meeting new people. At the start of the class, hold a brief discussion about what the students thought about the article. What do they think about the issues raised in the article? Do they agree with what was written? Can they think of any ways they might add to the content of the article?

Video activity To save time in class, the English teacher can ask the students to watch the video below at home. In the class, the students will answer a number of conversation questions directly or indirectly related to the content of the video.

The video for this class, by Mr Porter, is called “How to Pack for a Business Trip” which looks at the essentials needed for a business trip and how to avoid creases in your clothes.

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

The focus in the class is on conversation in order to help improve students’ fluency and confidence when speaking in English as well as boosting their vocabulary.

This lesson opens with a short discussion about the article the students read before the class. Next, the students can give their opinion on the quote at the beginning of the lesson plan – what they think the quote means, if they agree with it and how it could relate to business. This is followed by an initial discussion on the topic including how often the students have to travel for work purposes, common reasons why people take business trips, and any negative experiences they have had while travelling for work.

After this, students will learn some vocabulary connected with business travel such as red-eye flight , jetlag and travel expenses . The vocabulary is accompanied by a cloze activity and a speaking activity to test the students’ comprehension of these words.

If the students didn’t watch the video before the class, they can watch it after the vocabulary section and answer the conversation questions. Before the conversation, ask the students to give a brief summary of the video and what they thought about the content.

Finally, there is a more in-depth conversation about business travel. In this speaking activity, students will talk about issues such as problems people can encounter at the airport, what to consider when booking a hotel, and whether they would apply for a job specifically because it involved a lot of travel.

After the class, students will write a memo to memo to staff members explaining the company’s travel expenses policy. The writing activity is designed to allow students to practise business-style writing as well as improving their grammar with the feedback from their teacher.

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Business Conversation: 32 Business English Topics to Get Students Thinking

Teaching business English is more or less the same as teaching standard English —with a few twists and tweaks.

Usually you’ll start with advanced students who need English for work-related purposes. 

But what to talk about? The business section of the newspaper? Their company’s financial state? The economy?

This is where I come in to help you with my magical list of 32 business English conversation topics to start off the class with a bang.

These business English topics and questions are great for sparking more in-depth conversations and debates .

After the discussion, you could seamlessly jump into textbook material , creating a harmonious rhythm in your business English class!

1. English for Work

2. businesses, 3. negotiations, 4. job interviews, 5. working abroad, 6. company culture, 9. business presentations, 10. meetings, 11. conferences, 12. termination, 13. managers, 14. small business, 15. work appraisals, 16. retirement, 17. work experience, 18. overtime, 19. business trips, 20. competition, 21. risk management, 22. investing, 23. colleagues, 24. hard times, 27. customers, 28. customer service, 29. marketing, 30. consulting, 31. business ethics, 32. rules & regulations.

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Students are often asked why they are learning business English, and being able to discuss this in a clear and informative way will do wonders for their confidence. Here are a few questions:

• Do you think English is the global business language? 
• How often do you use English in your career?
• Do you feel more comfortable calling or emailing someone in English?
• Do you think English will get you promoted?
• Have you ever felt nervous speaking to foreign colleagues or clients in English? 

Talking about other businesses is, essentially, talking business. Other businesses could be friends, foes, inspirations or anything else. A simple topic, yet such a deep one. Some questions you could ask are:

• What can businesses do to succeed?
• What is your idea of a “business”?
• What businesses are successful in your country/industry? Why?
• Why do you think some businesses fail?
• “Business is a combination of war and sport.” Do you agree? Why/why not?

No verb goes with the word “business” better than “negotiation.” Some could say negotiations are business. It’s a good topic that has students speaking about any and all kinds of negotiations. You could ask questions such as:

• How good are you at negotiating?
• What are some good negotiation tactics?
• Do you do negotiations in your work, personal life or while shopping?
• What have you had to negotiate for in your life? (Examples: House, car, items at a bazaar)
• Do you think men or women are better at negotiations? Why?

Unless your students got a job hookup from a friend or a family member, chances are they have something to say about job interviews. They are the “first dates” of the business world and this topic gets some good chatter going. A few great questions are:

• How do you feel about job interviews?
• What is the most important part of a job interview?
• What advice do you have for a successful interview?
• What questions are common in job interviews in your company/industry/country?
• What was the worst interview you have ever had?

It can be very helpful to show your students actual videos of interviews to give them a better idea of what to expect. For example, you can use FluentU to show them the job interview scene from “The Pursuit of Happyness,” starring Will Smith, and help them pick out some key interview vocabulary:

Some students, especially if they need English for work, may have had some experience working in another country or even have some colleagues who are working abroad. This topic is good since working abroad becomes more and more relevant in this day and age. A few good questions include:

• Have you ever worked in another country?
• What difficulties can working abroad have?
• If you could choose, where would you like to work abroad?
• What work experience have you had with colleagues from abroad?
• What are some cultural differences between your country and foreign countries your company does business with?

Company culture is an essential aspect to any company, and your students will need to understand the value of a good company culture versus a bad one. Here are some questions to try out:

• Do you believe that company culture is important? If yes, how do companies steer clear of negative company culture?
• What is the company culture of your company? 
• Do you think your company could create a more positive, well-rounded company culture?
• What are some of the perks in your company?
• What perks or benefits do you look for in a prospective company’s culture? Why are these important to you?

An inevitable topic in the world of business, students do enjoy sharing views on crises. They can share their thoughts, questions and opinions about responding to all kinds of crises. Unless a particular crisis is hitting their country terribly hard, where some may feel sensitive about the topic, it’s an excellent topic to speak about. You could bring up questions like:

• How do you manage crises?
• What kinds of crises occur in your workplace?
• What sorts of crises have affected your country?
• What is your back-up plan for a major crisis?
• What have you learned from past crises?

Leaders are the coaches of business. They provide guidance and wisdom to many. Your students may feel inspired by some notable leaders, or they may look up to leaders in their respective countries, companies or industries. They may even dream of becoming leaders themselves. Get students talking about what kinds of people are best equipped to lead businesses. Some questions to ask are:

• What is your definition of a leader?
• What makes an excellent leader?
• How is the leadership in your company/industry/country?
• Describe the best leader you have worked for/with.
• How good of a leader do you believe you are?

In this day and age, presentations are everywhere thanks to modern technology. There’s a good chance that not only do your students have something to say about them, but they may have to give some at their job. Questions you could give them are:

• What makes a good presentation?
• What makes a bad presentation?
• Do you have to give any presentations at work? If so, what are they about?
• How do you feel about giving presentations?
• How do you feel about watching presentations?

Unless your students work an hourly position, they more than likely have meetings and talking about meetings is a nice topic since it’s so relatable. Great questions include:

• How often do you have meetings at work?
• Do you like meetings at work? Why/why not?
• What is often discussed at your meetings?
• What are the advantages/disadvantages to having meetings?
• “If you must have a meeting, lose the chairs.” Do you agree? Why/why not?

Many students may well have an important conference in the very near future and want to prepare. Networking, detailed job descriptions, presentation discussions, gathering information and the general culture exchange are all key areas of a professional conference. Here are some questions:

• How would you open a conversation with someone in English at a conference? Is it any different in your native language?
• Do you normally see all the presentations at a conference? What are some good and bad reasons you might miss a presentation or two?
• Do you find it more challenging making small talk or discussing business at conferences? Why do you think that is?
• Do you go out of your way to meet new people at conferences, or do you stick to your pack of colleagues? What are some great reasons to meet new people?
• Are there parties at conferences? Any good stories?

This is the “getting dumped” experience of the workforce, but it’s something that’s a part of business. If students want to speak better business English, navigate tough interview questions and plan their careers, then it would behoove them to practice talking about getting terminated. A few good questions could be:

• Have you ever been terminated?
• How does one get terminated at your job?
• Have you ever had to terminate anyone?
• How can you prevent getting terminated?
• If you were terminated, what would you do?

Slightly different (or vastly, depending on your work) than leaders, managers are something that everybody has something to say about. Love them or hate them, they’re an essential subject to discuss in business. Perhaps some of your students are managers themselves. You could ask:

• What do you think about your manager(s)?
• What qualities make a good manager?
• How does your manager spend their time?
• How can a manager motivate employees?
• What is your manager’s managing style?

Small businesses are the cornerstone of growing enterprises and thanks to e-commerce they are on the rise. A few questions to ask the class could be:

• Are small businesses common in your country?
• What challenges do small businesses have in your country?
• What are some successful small businesses in your town/city?
• How can a small business become successful?
• If you had a small business, what kind would it be?

Any decent company gives their employees a sort of appraisal every so often, so it’s a good topic to discuss since appraisals are made to improve the quality of the employee’s work. You could ask things like:

• Do you have performance reviews in your company? How often?
• How do you feel about them?
• What do your performance reviews cover?
• How important do you think appraisals are?
• What happens if you have a good/bad appraisal?
• How do you feel about feedback about yourself?

Even though retirement is the end of the road for business and a long way down the road for some students, it’s a good topic to discuss since it affects everybody eventually. Great questions could be:

• What is the retirement age in your country?
• What do people in your country usually do once they are retired?
• Where do retired people usually live in your country?
• What are the advantages/disadvantages to retirement?
• What do you think you will do when you retire?

Everybody talks about his or her work experience and it helps them with who they are in their career today. Some great questions are:

• What work experience do you have?
• How did you like your previous work?
• What can you gain from work experience?
• What have you learned from your work experience?
• What have you learned about yourself?

Overtime is as enjoyable as it is avoidable. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable but most students will have a thing or two to chime in with about overtime. Good questions could be:

• How much overtime do you usually work?
• How do you feel about working overtime?
• What is the overtime policy like in your company?
• Describe the worst overtime experience you have ever had.
• What is a solution to reducing overtime?

Business trips, whether they be domestic or international, are more and more common these days and are a good topic to discuss. After all, most likely your students that go on business trips need to speak English! You could ask:

• Do you go on business trips at work? Where?
• What are the advantages/disadvantages of business trips?
• What advice do you have for somebody traveling for business?
• Where would you like to go on a business trip? Why?
• What do you think is the future of business trips?

If your students want to speak business English well, then they’ll need to talk about competition. The competition is everywhere and is a great topic to really scope out how your students feel about business in general. Great questions could be:

• Who exactly is your company’s competition?
• What advantages/disadvantages does your competition have?
• How can your company overcome the competition?
• How competitive is your industry?
• How competitive are you in general? Why?

Most students should be familiar with risk and hopefully more familiar with how to manage it so it’s a fine topic to incite some quality discussion. Great questions are:

• What risks does your company come across?
• How does your company handle these risks?
• What situation could be a big risk to your company?
• What is your plan in case you come across a risk?
• Does your company have a contingency plan?

Investing is an important topic that many business English students know a fair deal about, depending on their business. It’s a relatable topic that could be of special interest to some students. You could ask questions like:

• What is your opinion on investing?
• What investments do you have? Why?
• Are you a conservative or risky investor? Why?
• What do you consider to be a bad investment? Why?
• If you had $1000 to invest, what would you do?

Everybody has something to say about colleagues and talking about them can help get students talking about more personal things, which can really help them exit their comfort zones. A few good questions could be:

• What do you think about your colleagues?
• What are some common problems with colleagues?
• Have you ever had any challenging situations/altercations with your colleagues?
• Do you spend time with your colleagues outside of work? Why/why not?
• Who is your favorite colleague? Why?

Unfortunately, hard times are quite prevalent these days. But talking about them is good for business since it could expand your students’ knowledge of current events. You could ask questions like:

• What hard times is your industry/country going through?
• What hard times have you experienced?
• What have you learned from hard times?
• What are the benefits of hard times?
• Tell me about what you did when you went through some hard times.

Everybody loves raises, but talking about them (especially with a superior) is a different story. Amongst classmates though, talking about raises can bring up some interesting chatter. Questions like these are good:

• How often do you get a raise at your job?
• What does it take to get a raise at your job?
• What advice do you have for someone who wants a raise?
• Do you think raises are important? Why/why not?
• Do you deserve a raise? Why/why not?

Some may say that business is sales and they just might be right. Sales are to business as education is to knowledge. Talking about sales is an important skill in business English, especially if some students need to sell in English. A few great discussion questions are:

• Have you ever worked in sales?
• How good of a salesperson are you? Why/why not?
• What makes a good salesperson?
• What is the sales process like in your company?
• What strategies do you think are good for sales?

But alas, there can’t be sales—or business for that matter!—without customers. Since everyone has been a customer on more than a few occasions in their lives, it’s a great topic for students! Questions like these work well:

• Who are the customers for your company/industry?
• As a customer in general, what do you usually expect?
• How do you gain more customers?
• How do you lose customers?
• “The customer is always right.” Do you agree/disagree?

Customer service is also another aspect of business that both salespeople and customers know a thing or two about. It’s a fantastic topic that can bring some enlightening discussion. You can ask questions like:

• What is excellent customer service?
• What is poor customer service?
• Have you ever had to deal with customers? How was it?
• How do/would you deal with customer problems?
• Can you think of any companies known for their exceptional customer service?

Marketing is an essential field in the world of business and many students enjoy talking about this diverse subject. You could ask questions such as:

• What is your understanding of marketing?
• What is your company’s target market?
• What kind of marketing does your company use?
• In your opinion what forms of marketing are the most/least successful?
• What kind of marketing is successful in your country?

Many companies, big and small, have experience with consultants and it’s an important topic in the world of business improvement. Some great questions could be:

• What is your definition of “consulting”?
• What is your opinion of consultants?
• What are the advantages/disadvantages of consultants?
• What area of advice are you an expert at? Why?
• “Sometimes you need a consultant to tell you the obvious.” Do you agree/disagree? Why?

Your eager business English students have most likely studied a bit of business ethics in their native language, so why not bring it to life in English? Environmental issues, labor rights, health and wellness are all components of business ethics. You can ask these questions: 

• What are “business ethics” and how do they affect your community?
• Would you consider your company ethical? Are there any business practices you disagree with?
• What are a few companies that have been known for bad business ethics? How about good ones?
• How often do you talk about business ethics with colleagues or managers?
• How can companies improve their business ethics?

Rules and regulations are literally everywhere in the business world and they could present some useful and interesting information. You could give the students questions like:

• What rules and regulations exist at your job?
• What happens if you break any of these rules?
• How do you feel about the regulations at your job?
• Why do you think rules and regulations exist?
• Have you ever had any problems with rules and regulations?

So there you have it, a vast list of various topics that are great for business English students.

Although it’s preferable (and likely) that your students already have jobs to answer these questions but since these topics are so relatable and general, it shouldn’t be a problem to start off the classes with some simple questions on such topics.

You could even choose the topics according to the current business news and mix the questions up a bit. The best piece of advice is to make it relatable, relevant and remarkable this way the students have something to say and never lose interest.

So, let’s talk business!

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Going on a business trip.

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)

Type of English: Business English

Tags: business travel conferences, exhibitions and trade fairs travel and leisure Vocabulary lesson

Publication date: 08/02/2018

In this business vocabulary lesson, students will learn words and phrases to talk about business trips. There are exercises on preparing for business trips, reasons to go and ways to talk about a business trip. The lesson ends with a speaking activity for students to talk about their personal experiences of business trips.

This is an excellent lesson that address grammar, speaking and reading comprehension. Writing activities can easily be developed, from the lesson, for students. The colour and layout is attractive. The level is correctly set at intermediate.

Great activity! It can tackle useful vocabulary, speaking practice, and grammar! I love it!

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Student worksheet

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In this business vocabulary lesson, students will learn words and phrases to talk about business trips. There are exercises on preparing for business trips, reasons to go, and ways to talk about a business trip. The lesson ends with a speaking activity for students to talk about their personal experiences of business trips.

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Business trips: fun or boring?

LESSON OVERVIEW

This lesson allows students to talk about business trips , learn some useful vocabulary , and have a lot of discussion and role- play . 

B1 / Intermediate 60 min Standard Lesson Unlimited Plan Unlock these lesson worksheets with the Unlimited subscription

WARM-UP & VIDEO

The lesson starts with a warm-up activity. Students answer a few general questions and talk about business trips. Then, they look at different activities (e.g. delivering or taking professional training, networking with other professionals, trying local food , etc.) and discuss which things they would find interesting to do on a business trip. After that, students move on to a video. First, they watch the video and say why it was made. Then, they work with vocabulary (e.g. upgrade the room, grab a book, head to a pool, etc.). Students read sentences and choose the correct words . They watch the video again and check their answers. There is also a list of concept-checking questions for teachers to make sure students understand the key vocabulary. 

ACTIVITIES TO TALK ABOUT BUSINESS TRIPS

In this part of the lesson, students practise the vocabulary and talk about business trips more. First, they discuss the tips from the video and add two or three tips of their own. Then, they complete the sentences with their ideas and add details. After that, students have a discussion and talk about business trips, what is important when you have one, and whether they are more stressful than regular work. As a final activity, students do a role play . They read the information about their business trip (e.g. hotel location and facilities, schedule, etc.) and decide how they will spend their free time together. 

HOMEWORK/REVISION

This lesson also includes an additional task that you can use as homework or revision. In the task, students practise the use of the vocabulary to talk about business trips while describing pictures and brainstorming ideas. The task is available in the teacher’s version of the worksheet. You can print it and hand it out to your students. It’s also included in the e-lesson plan.

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Learn English for travel with our lessons on travel English. Learn English phrases and vocabulary for checking into a hotel, making travel arrangements and dealing with customs and immigration at the airport.

Business English Travel Lessons

Learn travel English with Business English Pod lessons on English for travel .

Business English Pod offers English for travel lessons that cover various travel English topics, such as airport check-in, hotel reservations, ordering food, and making small talk with locals. These lessons provide practical vocabulary and phrases for different situations, helping learners communicate effectively while traveling.

Our travel English lessons are listed by published date with the newest lessons first.

BEP 295 – Business Trip 4: Factory Inspection

Bep 294 – business trip 3: confidential discussion, bep 284 – business trip 2: giving directions and getting around, bep 283 – business trip 1: taking a taxi, bep 26c – travel english: dealing with problems.

• BEP 25c – Travel English: Checking in for a Flight
• BEP 248 – Socializing with Strangers (2)
• BEP 247 – Socializing with Strangers (1)
• BEP 188 – Socializing: Hosting a Dinner Party 2
• BEP 187 – Socializing: Hosting a Dinner Party 1
• BEP 186 – Air Travel: Connecting Flights
• BEP 185 – Air Travel: Checking In to a Flight
• BEP 135 – Travel English: Airport Security
• BEP 134 – Travel English: Getting Online at the Coffee Shop
• BEP 125 – Travel English: Renting a Car
• BEP 124 – Travel English: Checking Out of a Hotel
• BEP 96 – Socializing: Business Meals
• BEP 89 – Telephoning: Making Arrangements
• BEP 88 – Telephoning: Booking a Travel Ticket
• BEP 80 – Travel English: Checking In to a Hotel
• BEP 79 – Travel: Making a Hotel Reservation
• BEP 67 – Socializing with Colleagues at Work
• BEP 66 – Working with Colleagues and Making Requests
• BEP 56 – Business Travel 2: Customs and Immigration
• BEP 55 – Business Travel: Airport Departure and Take Off
• BEP 26 – Travel: Connecting Flights and Travel Problems
• BEP 25 – Travel: Airport Check In and Making Polite Requests

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on conducting a factory inspection in English.

In the global economy, a company might have its headquarters in Germany, but outsource production to China and technical support to India. Or you might find a Korean company that contracts out to one factory in Malaysia and another in Vietnam. In any case, to make the right decision on production facilities, you’ll most likely need to conduct a factory inspection.

So if you’re flying halfway around the world to tour a factory or another facility, what kind of questions should you ask? And how can you make sure the factory is the right fit for your needs? Well, you’ll definitely want to ask questions about quality control to make sure the factory can meet your expectations. You might also ask about production capacity so you know they can handle the work properly. And you might ask about their approach to standards, to make sure they’re in line with your values.

Of course, talk is cheap. You might find a factory manager makes claims that are a bit unbelievable. In these situations, you’ll want to show skepticism, or doubt, and ask for evidence. This is all part of the due diligence necessary to make sure you’re making the right choice.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear Cam and Vanessa, who work for an American clothing company. They want to find a new production facility, so they’re touring a factory in China. You’ll also hear Chen, a factory manager who’s giving Cam and Vanessa a tour of the facility. Cam and Vanessa want to find out if Chen’s factory is a good fit for their company.

Listening Questions

1. How does Vanessa react to Chen’s claim that they have a .25% defect rate? 2. What important issue does Cam say their company is very serious about? 3. What kind of proof does Vanessa want to see of the factory managers’ training?

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on having a confidential discussion during a business trip.

If you’ve got colleagues or clients in other parts of the world, you probably rely a lot on email and the phone. But meeting in person continues to be important for building relationships and trust, and for discussing important issues. That’s one reason, of course, why the overseas business trip remains important.

And there’s one type of discussion that can be especially difficult: discussing a confidential matter. Perhaps you need to deliver bad news, or share sensitive information or tell someone about an important change. Meeting face-to-face in these types of situations is often the best way to break the news.

So what’s the best way to go about this? Well, to begin, it’s important to set a positive tone to put the other person at ease. Next, you might want to ask him or her how things are going. That can help break the ice, and the other person might actually mention the topic you want to discuss. Once you’ve started this way, you can introduce the sensitive information you want to deliver. And because the information is sensitive, you need to ask for discretion. Finally, depending on the nature of the discussion, you might also have to provide reassurances. After all, after we hear important information, we might wonder how it will impact us.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear Cam, who works for an American clothing company. He’s visiting the head of the company’s Chinese office, David. The company manufactures some of its clothing in China, and has been considering how to expand their retail activities in Asia. Cam needs to have a confidential discussion with David to share some important news.

1. How does Cam ask for David’s perspective on the current situation? 2. Cam needs to tell David about a decision regarding retail in China. What point does Cam mention to introduce this decision? 3. How does Cam reassure David near the end of the conversation?

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on giving directions and getting around a city. This lesson is part of a larger series that looks at the Business English you need for a successful overseas business trip .

Getting from point A to point B in a city isn’t always simple. Even with a map, there are lots of opportunities for confusion. First of all, a map doesn’t include the names of every little shop or house. And even though a map might show you where some major things are, it won’t tell you how to get there. For these reasons, we still rely on people for advice on getting around. And whether you’re traveling and need to understand someone’s directions, or whether someone asks you for directions, you need the right language.

This is what we’ll look at in today’s lesson. We’ll learn language and techniques for describing a location, suggesting the best travel option, and describing distance. We’ll also look at how to give basic directions, how to explain a change of course, and how to ask a stranger for help on the street.

In the dialog, we’ll rejoin Cam and Vanessa, who have traveled to Shanghai on business. They’re talking to the concierge at their hotel, who is explaining to them how to get to a specific coffee shop in the city’s Pudong business district.

1. What does the concierge recommend as the best travel option? 2. How does the concierge describe the distance to Hengshan Lu Station? 3. When Cam approaches a stranger in the street, what is the first question he asks?

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on taking a taxi. This will be part of a larger series that looks at the Business English you need for a successful overseas business trip .

When you travel to another city for business, what’s the easiest way to get around? Usually by taxi. You don’t have to interpret a subway map or a bus schedule. And you can be delivered directly to your destination with little confusion, though it will cost you more of course.

Yes, I said “with little confusion,” though that’s not always the case. Taxi drivers might not always understand what you want, or what you’re saying. You’ve still got to communicate clearly, directly, and politely with the taxi driver. Your fate is in his – or her – hands, and so you need to make sure you’re understood.

This is exactly what we’ll learn today. We’ll cover some important types of requests during a taxi ride, including asking for a destination, requesting a specific route, and asking for a change of course. We’ll also learn how to ask to be let out and request a receipt.

In this lesson, we’ll hear Cam and Vanessa, who have just arrived in Shanghai on a business trip. They’ve passed through immigration and collected their bags, and now they want to take a taxi to their hotel.

1. What is the travelers’ destination, and where is it located? 2. Vanessa asks for a change of course to get to a bank. How does she describe how to get there? 3. How does Vanessa ask to be let out of the taxi?

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to deal with problems you might experience when traveling by air.

This Business English lesson is part of our new series of fresh takes on some of our older lessons. We’ve kept the same dialog but have new explanations and practice for our lower level learners.

When you are traveling for business, have you ever had problems that seem beyond your control? Like when you show up at the airport and your flight is cancelled. Or when your flight is late and you can’t get to your destination on time? These situations can be frustrating and difficult to deal with. But there are some language techniques that you can learn to help you solve your problems.

In this lesson, we’ll look at some of these techniques, such as getting someone’s attention, using negative questions for requests, and agreeing reluctantly. We’ll also cover making polite refusals, correcting yourself, and asking about payment. These are all things you might have to do or understand as you solve a travel problem.

In the dialog you’re going to hear a traveler called Robert. If you heard our last lesson, you might remember that Robert was traveling to Nice but stopping in Paris first. In this lesson, you’ll hear Robert in the Paris airport. He has missed his connecting flight to Nice and now he’s trying to find a way to get to his destination in time for a meeting the next day.

1. When is the next available flight to Nice? 2. Why is the next available flight not acceptable to Robert? 3. What does Robert want instead of the next available flight to Nice? 4. What type of seat does the agent say is the only type available?

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Business trips

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A writing and speaking activity to talk about business trips.

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60 Travel Conversation Questions

One of the dreams that people have is to travel around the world and know more places, meet new people and enjoy some adventures.

People love traveling and there are many reasons for doing so, such as:

How about you? What are your reasons for traveling?

Talk about it with this list of travel conversation questions

Table of Contents

Travel Conversation Questions: Places

Travel conversation questions: people, travel conversation questions: your next vacations, travel conversation questions: your last vacation, travel conversation questions: your luggage, travel conversation questions: preferences, travel conversation questions: general questions, travel questions: channels, travel questions: safe places.

Instead of having a long list of travel conversation questions, it is better to have them categorized to make everything easier.

These are 60 travel conversation questions that have been divided into different categories such as:

Let’s explore each one of these different categories

When we search on the internet, we can find a list of recommendations about places to visit.

These are conversation questions to discuss the best and worst places to visit:

• Have you ever been abroad?
• How many countries have you visited?
• Have you visited many touristic places in your country?
• What tourist places do you like to visit?
• Do you prefer visiting beaches or mountains?
• Have you ever visited a European country?
• Have you ever visited an African country?
• What’s your best vacation memory?
• What’s your worst vacation memory?
• What countries would you like to visit?
• What countries would you not like to visit?
• What’s the best place for a vacation in your country

I understand that some people like traveling alone but others prefer some company and have better memories.

These questions have to do with your favorite people to go on vacation:

• Who do you travel with?
• Have you made friends while you are on vacation?
• Do you like to travel with children?
• Do you like to travel with your parents?
• Do you like traveling alone or in a group?
• What are some of the benefits of traveling alone?

Some people plan their vacation since they have to ask for permission, save money and choose the best time of the year to do it.

These questions will help you talk about plans that you have for your next vacation:

• What places are you planning to visit?
• Who are you planning to go with?
• When are you planning to go?
• Where are you planning to stay?
• What sights are you planning to see?
• When will you next go to the beach? Which beach is your favorite?

Some people love sharing information about their last vacation and some people don’t.

These are some questions to discuss your last vacation

• Where did you go on your last vacation?
• Who did you go with?
• Where did you stay?
• What did you do there?
• What did you see there?
• How much money did you spend there?
• Who was the most interesting person you met?
• How long did you stay there? Did you want to stay longer?

Most people don’t have a problem with their luggage when they travel, while others find issues such as:

These are some conversation questions that have to do with preparing stuff to travel:

• How much luggage do you usually carry?
• Do you bring electronic devices when you travel?
• What are some things you always take with you on a trip?
• Do you like to pack light when you travel?
• Do you think that everyone overpacks?
• How many of the things do you pack do you actually use or need?
• Have you ever lost your luggage?
• Do you worry about your luggage when you travel?

These are some questions about what you prefer to do when you are on vacation:

• Do you prefer to travel by car or plane?
• Have you ever bought a package tour?
• Where do you prefer to stay when you go on a vacation?
• How often do you travel?
• How often do you go camping?
• How long do you like vacations to be?
• What means of transport do you like to use when you are on vacation?
• Do you like to try local food when you travel?
• What is the best age to travel?
• Where do you like to stay when you go on vacation?

These are some general questions about traveling:

• Are you a traveler?
• What do you miss the most when you are traveling?
• Have you ever had an accident while traveling?
• Have you ever been on a cruise?
• What do you think about hitchhiking?
• If money was not an issue, what type of holiday would you take?
• Have you ever missed a flight? What happened?

Travel blogs and YouTube channels have become very popular.

Channels tend to have an edge over travel blogs since you get a better idea of the country you are planning to visit

• Do you follow travel blogs?
• Do you follow Travel Youtube channels?
• Do you usually search for videos or posts about the countries or places you are trying to visit?
• Have Travel blogs or channels make you want to travel more

If you are a traveler, you don’t want anything to happen to you, your friends, and your family.

These are some questions about safe countries and places to travel to:

• What are some of the safest places to travel to?
• Have you ever been robbed when traveling?
• Do you only travel to the safest countries?
• Do you share your travel information with someone you trust?
• Do you worry about how much you drink when traveling?
• Do you try not to draw attention when traveling?
• Do you wear jewelry when you travel?
• Are you aware of scams when you travel?
• Do you Keep digital copies of important documents?

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

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Biden looks to lower the carbon footprint of business travel

As the aviation industry lobbies for sustainable jet fuel, new tax breaks could help lower the carbon footprint of business travel.

By Elsa Wenzel

May 6, 2024

Illustration of a jet's shadow over a field sunflowers. Credit: Shutterstock/Scharfsinn

U.S. airlines use sustainable fuel in less than 0.1 percent of flights . Yet the government wants 10 percent of the industry to run on sustainable fuel by 2030, and to reach 100 percent by 2050 .

The scale of the challenge is massive: United Airlines used 7 million gallons of sustainable fuel last year, according to company spokesman Sam Coleman. "That was a threefold increase from the year before, which is great, except that United Airlines burns between 3 and 4 billion — with a B — gallons of fuel every year."

Air travel creates 2 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions and 12 percent of transportation emissions, according to the Department of Energy. There will be a projected 40.1 million flights in 2024 , up from 36.8 million the year before.

The carbon footprint of business travel could get lower

Put simply, air travel simply isn’t anywhere close to being sustainable.

Yet chief sustainability officers — looking to reduce the carbon footprint of their business travel operations — would dearly love it to be.

The Biden administration sought to change that April 30 when it announced that producers of corn- and soy-based jet fuel who use "climate-smart" farming practices will be eligible for new tax credits. 

The administration’s guidance, which isn’t final, could help other businesses reduce the carbon footprint of their employees’ travel. Salesforce, for one, plans to buy sustainable fuel certificates for 5 percent of its Scope 3 emissions for air travel.

The move came after the launch April 29 of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition (SAFC), a lobby group of 40 aviation businesses including American Airlines and United Airlines. The group will push for increased investment in sustainable fuel.

SAF makes up more than two-thirds of the emissions reductions needed by International Air Transport Association members to reach net zero carbon by 2050. Credit: IATA

"Sustainable" is a relative term when it comes to jet fuel. It is typically blended with regular jet fuel in a ratio of between 10 to 50 percent . It can reduce carbon emissions by up to 85 percent over its lifecycle, according to Boeing Aerospace, even though by its nature it still involves burning fossil fuel and producing CO2.

Sustainable jet fuel is expensive

Sustainable fuel costs two to four times more than fossil fuel. That "green premium" hampers adoption, and demand outstrips the supply, according to the International Air Transport Association .

That’s where the new government subsidies come in. Producers using corn for ethanol or soy for biodiesel can now qualify for tax credits of between $1.25 to $1.75 per gallon of fuel produced. They must be able to demonstrate that they used regenerative agriculture: cover crops, energy-efficient fertilizer and did not till their soil to make the fuel.

Critics want crops for food, not fuel

The cost — and the continued use of petroleum — are why many in the airline industry regard crop-based fuel as a "bridge" that will eventually lead to "third-generation fuels" from hydrogen and carbon capture.

"While some may view this announcement as being too stringent or too lenient for crop-based fuels, we believe that it strikes the right balance between getting the science right and incentivizing lower carbon fuel production with the feedstocks and production processes that we have available today," said John Hebert, senior policy adviser for transportation at think tank Third Way.

Environmental groups expressed wariness over the plan to grow crops for fuel instead of food. "U.S. airlines should align with their European counterparts in demanding sustainable aviation fuel made from feedstocks that don’t compete with food production," Dan Lashof, World Resources Institute director , told GreenBiz.

That’s not part of the administration’s vision, however. It’s all about jet fuel: The new tax breaks are "a big step forward for American farmers, for American innovation, for American jobs and America's ability to cut carbon pollution for our transportation sector and to protect our planet," said John Podesta, the senior clean energy advisor to Biden who oversees spending under the Inflation Reduction Act, at a press event Monday.

New laws require sustainable fuel

But governments the world over seem intent on forcing a market for sustainable fuel into existence. Among them:

• As of April 24, a new Nebraska law offers a tax credit of 75 cents per gallon to SAF producers. After Iowa, the state is the second biggest producer of ethanol .
• Illinois, the third largest U.S. ethanol producer , is offering a tax credit of $1.50 per gallon for those who purchase sustainable fuel. Washington state will offer a credit of up to $2 per gallon, once facilities there pump up at least 20 million gallons per year.
• In 2025, the European Union will begin requiring its airports to use a minimum of 2 percent sustainable fuel, reaching 63 percent in 2050.
• All flights originating in the U.K. will be required to run on 10 percent sustainable fuel by 2030 , under its sustainable aviation fuel mandate published in April . The target includes supplying 1.2 million metric tons of fuel annually.

"SAF will enhance domestic energy security, create new markets for American farmers, reduce aviation emissions and drive next-generation technology development," said Alison Graab, executive director of the SAF Coalition and a transport industry lobbyist.

[Continue the conversation on climate policy at Circularity 24 (May 22-24, Chicago), the leading conference for professionals building the circular economy.]

View the discussion thread.

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As a parent, I make the most of work trips to turn them into vacations. I schedule lunches instead of dinners so I can sleep.

• When I was younger, business travel meant late nights.
• Now that I'm a parent, work trips are an escape from parenting.
• Instead of business dinners, I do lunches or coffees.

On a recent work trip to New York City, I had dinner with my boss. At 5:30, we went to a casual pizza place, and I was back in my hotel room by 7:30 and asleep shortly after. It was a far cry from what work dinners used to look like when I traveled.

My first business trip was a sales conference in San Diego in 2009. I was barely 24, and the whirlwind lineup of client happy hours, fancy dinners, and late-night networking was exhilarating. Traveling for work felt like I had arrived in the corporate world. For the next 10 years or so, every time I took a business trip, I reveled in all of the late-night activities.

I've always loved taking business trips

Trips usually meant spending eight hours in back-to-back meetings followed by what felt like another eight hours of social activities with clients and colleagues. But they also usually meant drinking nice wine and eating at restaurants that I couldn't afford on my own at the time on the company's dime.

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Travel left me drained and ready to crawl into bed when I got home, but I still loved doing it. I didn't know any other way to do it; I thought business travel had to be done this way to build strong relationships with coworkers and clients. However, I've learned that's not the case, and I do things a little differently these days.

The way I travel changed after I had kids

Business travel used to be and still is a treat, but I look forward to very different things when I take a trip now. Travel used to mean a couple of days away to have fun and stay up late. Now trips are an escape from parenting and a way to recharge. They almost feel like a mini vacation .

It's a few days where I don't have to cook, clean, or be responsible for anyone else.

Instead of getting excited about nice wine or fancy dinners, I get excited about the comped hotel room and the per diem that will cover a fancy coffee or two. Most importantly, though, I cannot explain the level of giddiness I feel about getting a solid, uninterrupted eight hours of sleep a night when I travel.

With the end goal of sleep, I have changed how I approach the day when I'm on the road. Instead of team dinners, I opt for taking my team to lunch. Instead of a happy hour with a coworker or client, I opt for a coffee break or walk and talk around the city. I've also had early morning breakfast meetings, which I prefer to a late night out, even if it means cutting my sleep short.

By doing this, I maximize the daytime hours as best as I can so that I can get back to the hotel, watch a few hours of mindless TV, and go to sleep. If I can order delivery to my hotel room, even better. It's still a long day, and I'm still exhausted at the end of it by trying to fit in as many meetings and relationship-building opportunities as possible. But I'm able to muscle through the days because I keep what's waiting for me at the finish line, a 9:30 bedtime, in the back of my mind.

Changing how I travel hasn't had a negative consequence at work. Swapping business dinners for lunches still means I get dedicated face time with people, but it also means that I can enjoy a break from parenthood while I'm away. It's a win-win.

Watch: Marriott International's Tina Edmundson tells Insider that the travel mindset has changed since the pandemic

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Hello! We are coming for a business trip from May 27-June 2 and I’ve already done some research but there is so much info and it’s a big confusion

Bit before I make any bookings or decide on restaurants and fix an itenirRy I need to book a hotel. (It’s a last minute business trip and we just got our visas - so that’s why we haven’t booked a hotel yet)

I’m looking for something that would be in between all these places nddmehrinf around 200-250 dollars a night . Maybe mariot marquis?

Pls pls if you can help me with anything I really appreciate it. Esp restaurants magic shows (comedy shows if any - best malls and outlets

I’m starting to worry as usually I’m

Someone who plans before 5-6 months !!! And there is so much info I don’t know where to start. Yes it’s a business trip but we also have days where we can explore and enjoy . So it’ll be a flexible itinerary, thanks so much in advance

11 replies to this topic

The places you mention are upwards of 30 miles apart from each other. It is possible to take public transit (buses) to NASA, but it is not time efficient. You can also Uber, but it will be expensive.

There is an easy to use light rail system for the downtown area. You could consider staying near one of the lines.

https://www.ridemetro.org/riding-metro/transit-services/metrorail

We like Pinkerton's and J Bar M for barbecue. If you can make it to Pearland, Killen's is excellent. Get the brisket.

sweetdandan: Before everyone continues to "guess" your situation, it would be helpful to answer the basics. As asked, will you have a vehicle available since this is a business trip?

Who is the "we" that you continue to mention? You, your significant other, children?

There are far too many unknowns to guess, but if I had a rental car I would want to stay closer to where my business dealings were located. I would not want to pay the exorbitant parking fees downtown, nor would I want to stay downtown if my business dealings were in Katy or Clear Lake or Spring or Galleria , for example. Especially during a business week after a major US holiday (Memorial Day is 5/27).

Just tried to drive through the heights and so many trees are down. Still no electricity. BK hope your home is ok.

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Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas closing in July. Here's what's next.

After more than three decades of business, Las Vegas' famed Mirage Hotel and Casino is shuttering its doors.

The Las Vegas Strip business announced the closure Wednesday night according to a post on social media, noting the Nevada property will soon "transform."

"We look forward to the beginning of an exciting journey into a new era as Hard Rock Las Vegas will ignite the Strip with entertainment, innovation and world-class hospitality,” the Mirage, which opened 34 years ago, posted on Facebook.

The Mirage will be ceasing operations on July 17, the post said.

'A new era'

The hotel is known for its man-made Mirage Volcano spewing fire and water since the hotel’s 1989 opening.

It is also home to a Cirque du Soleil show with Beatles music as well as the Siegfried and Roy’s white tigers show.

Hard Rock Las Vegas coming soon

The business announced the resort will reopen in 2027 as Hard Rock Las Vegas.

"We look forward to the beginning of an exciting journey into a new era as Hard Rock Las Vegas will ignite the Strip with entertainment, innovation, and world-class hospitality," the casino's Facebook post reads.

Hard Rock will pay nearly $80 million in severance packages for union and non-union employees who continue to work at the property until it closes, the post reads.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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Checklists are a key step in travel preparation for many people. Passport — check. Phone charger — check. But have you checked to make sure you’re fully utilizing the travel perks offered by your credit card?

Whether you’re a seasoned jetsetter or a novice traveler seeing the world for the first time, benefits from the right credit card can make a trip more convenient and more comfortable. That’s good news for the 50% of Americans who plan to travel more in 2024 than 2023, according to a survey by IPX1031, a Fidelity National Financial Company.

Here’s a credit card checklist to review before you hit the road this summer.

1. Bring a card

First things first — be sure to bring a credit card! Many airlines, and even entire airports, are now cash-free. That means you’ll need a card to pay for that pre-departure drink or in-flight snack. You might even earn bonus rewards.

For example, if restaurants are a bonus category for your card, sit-down establishments within the airport will usually still earn that higher rewards rate. If your card earns a bonus on travel purchases, you'll usually earn that bonus for in-flight purchases.

2. Register for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or Clear

Airports are more crowded than ever, with air passenger growth up 6% and foreign travel up 24% year over year, according to a study conducted by the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics.

To ease the burden of long lines, check if your card offers a credit that covers the cost of TSA PreCheck , Global Entry or Clear . These programs allow you to speed through the line at security or customs, but since they all require a background check and an in-person interview, you'll need to register well before your trip. Even if you haven’t been verified for this trip, register today to prepare for your next trip.

3. Register for lounge access

Airport lounges offer a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the airport terminal, with most offering free food and drinks. If your card offers access to Priority Pass lounges, you’ll need to register for that benefit before you hit the road.

Don’t forget your physical membership card, or even easier, download the Priority Pass app and use your phone to access the lounge.

4. Notify your issuer of your travel plans

Few things can create issues like having your card unexpectedly stop working when you’re away from home, especially internationally. With rates of credit card fraud increasing, it’s possible your card could stop working if you’re spending outside of your normal patterns or locations. To preempt this, notify your issuer before you travel. Often you can do this online or through the app, but just in case, be sure to travel with at least two cards .

5. Avoid paying foreign transaction fees

If you’re traveling abroad, make sure you have a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees . If your card does levy those fees, try to get a different card before you leave the country.

6. Pay with your most rewarding card

Be sure to identify opportunities to leverage your trip and earn outsized rewards. For example, if you know you’ll be staying at a Hilton brand hotel, you might consider applying for one of the Hilton credit cards offered by American Express and earn up to 14 Hilton points per dollar you spend at the hotel. Those points can stack up fast and easily defray costs for your future travel.

But you'll need to bring the physical card with you. Many hotels aren't able to accept digital wallet payments, so if you can't swipe your card, you'll miss out on those heightened rewards.

7. Check your card’s money-saving offers

Many issuers have programs, such as AmEx Offers, Chase Offers and BankAmeriDeals from Bank of America, that let you add rotating promotional offers to your card and earn additional points or cash back for making purchases at specific merchants. Be sure to review these offers for any merchants where you might spend during your travels. Just be aware of the fine print — often these offers exclude, or only include, international merchants.

On a similar note...

Find the right credit card for you.

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

Published: 5 April 2024 Contributors: Tim Mucci, Cole Stryker

Big data analytics refers to the systematic processing and analysis of large amounts of data and complex data sets, known as big data, to extract valuable insights. Big data analytics allows for the uncovering of trends, patterns and correlations in large amounts of raw data to help analysts make data-informed decisions. This process allows organizations to leverage the exponentially growing data generated from diverse sources, including internet-of-things (IoT) sensors, social media, financial transactions and smart devices to derive actionable intelligence through advanced analytic techniques.

In the early 2000s, advances in software and hardware capabilities made it possible for organizations to collect and handle large amounts of unstructured data. With this explosion of useful data, open-source communities developed big data frameworks to store and process this data. These frameworks are used for distributed storage and processing of large data sets across a network of computers. Along with additional tools and libraries, big data frameworks can be used for:

• Predictive modeling by incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and statistical algorithms
• Statistical analysis for in-depth data exploration and to uncover hidden patterns
• What-if analysis to simulate different scenarios and explore potential outcomes
• Processing diverse data sets, including structured, semi-structured and unstructured data from various sources.

Four main data analysis methods  – descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive  – are used to uncover insights and patterns within an organization's data. These methods facilitate a deeper understanding of market trends, customer preferences and other important business metrics.

IBM named a Leader in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Augmented Data Quality Solutions.

Structured vs unstructured data

What is data management?

The main difference between big data analytics and traditional data analytics is the type of data handled and the tools used to analyze it. Traditional analytics deals with structured data, typically stored in relational databases . This type of database helps ensure that data is well-organized and easy for a computer to understand. Traditional data analytics relies on statistical methods and tools like structured query language (SQL) for querying databases.

Big data analytics involves massive amounts of data in various formats, including structured, semi-structured and unstructured data. The complexity of this data requires more sophisticated analysis techniques. Big data analytics employs advanced techniques like machine learning and data mining to extract information from complex data sets. It often requires distributed processing systems like Hadoop to manage the sheer volume of data.

These are the four methods of data analysis at work within big data:

The "what happened" stage of data analysis. Here, the focus is on summarizing and describing past data to understand its basic characteristics.

The “why it happened” stage. By delving deep into the data, diagnostic analysis identifies the root patterns and trends observed in descriptive analytics.

The “what will happen” stage. It uses historical data, statistical modeling and machine learning to forecast trends.

Describes the “what to do” stage, which goes beyond prediction to provide recommendations for optimizing future actions based on insights derived from all previous.

The following dimensions highlight the core challenges and opportunities inherent in big data analytics.

The sheer volume of data generated today, from social media feeds, IoT devices, transaction records and more, presents a significant challenge. Traditional data storage and processing solutions are often inadequate to handle this scale efficiently. Big data technologies and cloud-based storage solutions enable organizations to store and manage these vast data sets cost-effectively, protecting valuable data from being discarded due to storage limitations.

Data is being produced at unprecedented speeds, from real-time social media updates to high-frequency stock trading records. The velocity at which data flows into organizations requires robust processing capabilities to capture, process and deliver accurate analysis in near real-time. Stream processing frameworks and in-memory data processing are designed to handle these rapid data streams and balance supply with demand.

Today's data comes in many formats, from structured to numeric data in traditional databases to unstructured text, video and images from diverse sources like social media and video surveillance. This variety demans flexible data management systems to handle and integrate disparate data types for comprehensive analysis. NoSQL databases , data lakes and schema -on-read technologies provide the necessary flexibility to accommodate the diverse nature of big data.

Data reliability and accuracy are critical, as decisions based on inaccurate or incomplete data can lead to negative outcomes. Veracity refers to the data's trustworthiness, encompassing data quality, noise and anomaly detection issues. Techniques and tools for data cleaning, validation and verification are integral to ensuring the integrity of big data, enabling organizations to make better decisions based on reliable information.

Big data analytics aims to extract actionable insights that offer tangible value. This involves turning vast data sets into meaningful information that can inform strategic decisions, uncover new opportunities and drive innovation. Advanced analytics, machine learning and AI are key to unlocking the value contained within big data, transforming raw data into strategic assets.

Data professionals, analysts, scientists and statisticians prepare and process data in a data lakehouse, which combines the performance of a data lakehouse with the flexibility of a data lake to clean data and ensure its quality. The process of turning raw data into valuable insights encompasses several key stages:

• Collect data: The first step involves gathering data, which can be a mix of structured and unstructured forms from myriad sources like cloud, mobile applications and IoT sensors. This step is where organizations adapt their data collection strategies and integrate data from varied sources into central repositories like a data lake, which can automatically assign metadata for better manageability and accessibility.
• Process data: After being collected, data must be systematically organized, extracted, transformed and then loaded into a storage system to ensure accurate analytical outcomes. Processing involves converting raw data into a format that is usable for analysis, which might involve aggregating data from different sources, converting data types or organizing data into structure formats. Given the exponential growth of available data, this stage can be challenging. Processing strategies may vary between batch processing, which handles large data volumes over extended periods and stream processing, which deals with smaller real-time data batches.
• Clean data: Regardless of size, data must be cleaned to ensure quality and relevance. Cleaning data involves formatting it correctly, removing duplicates and eliminating irrelevant entries. Clean data prevents the corruption of output and safeguard’s reliability and accuracy.
• Analyze data: Advanced analytics, such as data mining, predictive analytics, machine learning and deep learning, are employed to sift through the processed and cleaned data. These methods allow users to discover patterns, relationships and trends within the data, providing a solid foundation for informed decision-making.

Under the Analyze umbrella, there are potentially many technologies at work, including data mining, which is used to identify patterns and relationships within large data sets; predictive analytics, which forecasts future trends and opportunities; and deep learning , which mimics human learning patterns to uncover more abstract ideas.

Deep learning uses an artificial neural network with multiple layers to model complex patterns in data. Unlike traditional machine learning algorithms, deep learning learns from images, sound and text without manual help. For big data analytics, this powerful capability means the volume and complexity of data is not an issue.

Natural language processing (NLP) models allow machines to understand, interpret and generate human language. Within big data analytics, NLP extracts insights from massive unstructured text data generated across an organization and beyond.

Structured Data

Structured data refers to highly organized information that is easily searchable and typically stored in relational databases or spreadsheets. It adheres to a rigid schema, meaning each data element is clearly defined and accessible in a fixed field within a record or file. Examples of structured data include:

• Customer names and addresses in a customer relationship management (CRM) system
• Transactional data in financial records, such as sales figures and account balances
• Employee data in human resources databases, including job titles and salaries

Structured data's main advantage is its simplicity for entry, search and analysis, often using straightforward database queries like SQL. However, the rapidly expanding universe of big data means that structured data represents a relatively small portion of the total data available to organizations.

Unstructured Data

Unstructured data lacks a pre-defined data model, making it more difficult to collect, process and analyze. It comprises the majority of data generated today, and includes formats such as:

• Textual content from documents, emails and social media posts
• Multimedia content, including images, audio files and videos
• Data from IoT devices, which can include a mix of sensor data, log files and time-series data

The primary challenge with unstructured data is its complexity and lack of uniformity, requiring more sophisticated methods for indexing, searching and analyzing. NLP, machine learning and advanced analytics platforms are often employed to extract meaningful insights from unstructured data.

Semi-structured data

Semi-structured data occupies the middle ground between structured and unstructured data. While it does not reside in a relational database, it contains tags or other markers to separate semantic elements and enforce hierarchies of records and fields within the data. Examples include:

• JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and XML (eXtensible Markup Language) files, which are commonly used for web data interchange
• Email, where the data has a standardized format (e.g., headers, subject, body) but the content within each section is unstructured
• NoSQL databases, can store and manage semi-structured data more efficiently than traditional relational databases

Semi-structured data is more flexible than structured data but easier to analyze than unstructured data, providing a balance that is particularly useful in web applications and data integration tasks.

Ensuring data quality and integrity, integrating disparate data sources, protecting data privacy and security and finding the right talent to analyze and interpret data can present challenges to organizations looking to leverage their extensive data volumes. What follows are the benefits organizations can realize once they see success with big data analytics:

Real-time intelligence

One of the standout advantages of big data analytics is the capacity to provide real-time intelligence. Organizations can analyze vast amounts of data as it is generated from myriad sources and in various formats. Real-time insight allows businesses to make quick decisions, respond to market changes instantaneously and identify and act on opportunities as they arise.

Better-informed decisions

With big data analytics, organizations can uncover previously hidden trends, patterns and correlations. A deeper understanding equips leaders and decision-makers with the information needed to strategize effectively, enhancing business decision-making in supply chain management, e-commerce, operations and overall strategic direction.  

Cost savings

Big data analytics drives cost savings by identifying business process efficiencies and optimizations. Organizations can pinpoint wasteful expenditures by analyzing large datasets, streamlining operations and enhancing productivity. Moreover, predictive analytics can forecast future trends, allowing companies to allocate resources more efficiently and avoid costly missteps.

Better customer engagement

Understanding customer needs, behaviors and sentiments is crucial for successful engagement and big data analytics provides the tools to achieve this understanding. Companies gain insights into consumer preferences and tailor their marketing strategies by analyzing customer data.

Optimized risk management strategies

Big data analytics enhances an organization's ability to manage risk by providing the tools to identify, assess and address threats in real time. Predictive analytics can foresee potential dangers before they materialize, allowing companies to devise preemptive strategies.

As organizations across industries seek to leverage data to drive decision-making, improve operational efficiencies and enhance customer experiences, the demand for skilled professionals in big data analytics has surged. Here are some prominent career paths that utilize big data analytics:

Data scientist

Data scientists analyze complex digital data to assist businesses in making decisions. Using their data science training and advanced analytics technologies, including machine learning and predictive modeling, they uncover hidden insights in data.

Data analyst

Data analysts turn data into information and information into insights. They use statistical techniques to analyze and extract meaningful trends from data sets, often to inform business strategy and decisions.

Data engineer

Data engineers prepare, process and manage big data infrastructure and tools. They also develop, maintain, test and evaluate data solutions within organizations, often working with massive datasets to assist in analytics projects.

Machine learning engineer

Machine learning engineers focus on designing and implementing machine learning applications. They develop sophisticated algorithms that learn from and make predictions on data.

Business intelligence analyst

Business intelligence (BI) analysts help businesses make data-driven decisions by analyzing data to produce actionable insights. They often use BI tools to convert data into easy-to-understand reports and visualizations for business stakeholders.

Data visualization specialist

These specialists focus on the visual representation of data. They create data visualizations that help end users understand the significance of data by placing it in a visual context.

Data architect

Data architects design, create, deploy and manage an organization's data architecture. They define how data is stored, consumed, integrated and managed by different data entities and IT systems.

IBM and Cloudera have partnered to create an industry-leading, enterprise-grade big data framework distribution plus a variety of cloud services and products — all designed to achieve faster analytics at scale.

IBM Db2 Database on IBM Cloud Pak for Data combines a proven, AI-infused, enterprise-ready data management system with an integrated data and AI platform built on the security-rich, scalable Red Hat OpenShift foundation.

IBM Big Replicate is an enterprise-class data replication software platform that keeps data consistent in a distributed environment, on-premises and in the hybrid cloud, including SQL and NoSQL databases.

A data warehouse is a system that aggregates data from different sources into a single, central, consistent data store to support data analysis, data mining, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Business intelligence gives organizations the ability to get answers they can understand. Instead of using best guesses, they can base decisions on what their business data is telling them — whether it relates to production, supply chain, customers or market trends.

Cloud computing is the on-demand access of physical or virtual servers, data storage, networking capabilities, application development tools, software, AI analytic tools and more—over the internet with pay-per-use pricing. The cloud computing model offers customers flexibility and scalability compared to traditional infrastructure.

Purpose-built data-driven architecture helps support business intelligence across the organization. IBM analytics solutions allow organizations to simplify raw data access, provide end-to-end data management and empower business users with AI-driven self-service analytics to predict outcomes.