Ratgeber
Business trip: when should you book
Corporate recommends requesting business trips several months ahead, depending on group size and season, and building the plan backwards from the travel date. Groups and high season need more lead time, because hotels, rooms and flights are fully booked earlier.
Von Corporate, Stand
Schritt für Schritt
- Fix the travel date and alternatives.
- Plan backwards: departure, invitation, quote decision, request.
- Assess size class and season and choose the lead time accordingly.
- Send the request early, even if the programme is not yet finished.
- Agree decision dates with management in advance.
- Enter deadlines for name lists and payments in the calendar.
Checkliste
- Travel date and two alternatives fixed
- Backward plan with milestones drawn up
- Management decision date reserved
- Request sent to providers
- Date free of clashes with quarter-end close and holidays
- Deadlines for name lists and payments entered
- Date communicated early to participants
For business trips, lead time decides availability, choice and calm in the planning. The larger the group and the busier the season, the earlier requests should start. This article shows backward planning with milestones that HR and management can use together.
What does the lead time needed depend on?
Four factors determine lead time: group size, season, destination and scope of programme. A small group in the off-season will find solutions even at short notice. A large group in high season needs much more time, because hotels with suitable capacity are limited.
The destination matters too. Popular cities are often fully booked during congresses, trade fairs and public holidays, and even large hotels then have hardly any reserves. Check the events calendar of the destination before you fix dates. Anyone travelling on such dates books earlier and has less choice of meeting rooms and hotel rooms.
The scope of the programme also has an effect. Reservations for restaurants, excursions and rooms with technology need coordinating. The more building blocks, the more lead time the coordination needs.
What does backward planning look like?
Begin at the travel date and count back. Shortly before departure come the travel documents and the information sheet. Before that come name lists and payments, before that the invitation with the registration deadline, before that the decision on a quote, and right at the start the request.
Enter every milestone with a date and a person responsible. A simple table is enough. It creates transparency and shows early if a step is taking too long.
Build in buffers, and do so in the very first version of the plan. Quotes arrive later than expected, management decides only after the next meeting, and participants register late. A buffer of a few weeks prevents time pressure and gives room for queries on tax or law, which can also take time.
Price and availability: what speaks for booking early?
Booking early secures choice of hotels, rooms and flights. Prices can change depending on season, demand and category, and allotments become scarcer over time. There are no guarantees, but choice is generally larger early on.
Booking early does, however, mean committing early. Check cancellation deadlines and rebooking options before you accept. A flexible rate can be worthwhile if the number of participants or the date is still open.
Decide consciously whether flexibility or choice matters more. This trade-off belongs in the decision paper and not in a gut decision shortly before the deadline.
How early does management have to decide?
Management approves the purpose and budget range early, before quotes are in. Later decisions concern the choice of quote. Agree both dates at the start so that no waiting time arises. Reserve a slot on the meeting agenda for them now.
A decision needs a paper. Summarise the variants on one page, with a recommendation, risks and deadlines. That way a decision can be made even in a short meeting.
Also clarify who signs and who stands in during absence. Delays often arise from unclear responsibilities, not from questions of substance.
Choosing the date: which clashes do you avoid?
Avoid quarter-end closes, budget rounds and holiday periods. Also check school holidays if employees have children, and public holidays at the destination, which can affect opening hours and prices.
Suggest two or three dates and ask key people before you fix one. A short date poll prevents important participants from already being committed. Managers whose presence is needed for decisions also belong in this poll.
Communicate the date early, even if details are still open. Participants protect their diaries and make private plans once they know the date. This raises attendance and lowers later cancellations.
What do you do if lead time is short?
With short lead time, reduce the complexity. Choose a destination that is easy to reach, a smaller group or a simpler programme. Do without special requests that need long clarification.
Approach providers directly and ask about alternative dates. There are often solutions if you are flexible on dates and property. A consultation by video call helps to find suitable options quickly, and saves time because requests can be made in one go.
Even with a tight schedule, record the goal, budget range and people responsible. You should still clarify tax and legal questions in advance with your fiduciary and legal department. Start via the [Corporate planning page](/m/corporate/planen).
