Planning overseas travel

Travelling abroad for work can be a great adventure or a nightmare - how it pans out can depend hugely on the early planning stages. Planning is everything when organising a business trip - whether you're travelling alone or taking charge of a team excursion.

Passports/Visas

Ensure everyone intending to travel has an up-to-date passport in advance of departure. Some countries require a passport has at least six months left before its expiration date - check with the Embassy of the country you are travelling to for details. Also check with the Embassy if a visa is required. Darren Fowler, international creative director for Clipso, often travels abroad with his team and knows how important it is to double check everything. "When you're travelling abroad frequently it's the little things that you need to take into consideration, such as ensuring your passport is up-to-date and that you know where it is. Once, we were leaving to do a hair show abroad the next day when one of my team realised his passport was out-of-date. With not enough time to get it renewed he had to miss the trip and someone else jumped in his place at the last minute. It's also vital to ensure your visa is in line - different countries have varying visa regulations so make sure you do your research and get everything in order before you travel," he says. For advice on passports call the Passport Information line on 0871 918 9073.

Travel Insurance

Every member of a team travelling abroad should be covered - and if you are organising the trip, it's up to you to make sure they are. Look out for corporate cover deals, which should be cheaper. Don't assume that you, or any staff member, will be covered by existing credit card accident cover, home insurance or private health cover - it's unlikely any of these will be sufficient to cover costs if the worse happens. For example, a trip in an air ambulance from the east coast of the USA to the UK will set you back about £35,000. Always check the small print of any policy to see if exclusions apply - these may include injury or death due to acts of terrorism or nature, accidents caused through alcohol or dangerous sports or problems arising from a pre-existing illness. Check the policy covers you and other team members for legal expenses should compensation claims ensue from an injury. Some policies also cover you if the airline goes bankrupt before or during your trip. And remember, it's no good having insurance if you don't take the policy details with you - particularly the 24-hour emergency phone number.

Be Prepared

Hairdressers travelling abroad will have specific requirements, which may need plenty of forward thinking. Global creative director of Aveda, Antoinette Beenders, spends her life travelling abroad and ensures she is never without the tools of her trade. "I have a session/travel list with details of everything I should do, take or sort before my trip. I have two session bags - one lives at home in the UK, the other in New York. Each contains everything I need for a shoot/show/seminar, which means I don't have to take them back and forwards as a lot of my commitments are in the USA. "I always carry an extra hard drive and additional DVDs of my presentations so I can remake my presentations if I run into problems. I also always carry an electricity board adaptor." For larger salons and salon chains, where travel is a major part of the business, staff are employed with the specific role of organising excursions. Angelo Seminara, creative artistic director at Trevor Sorbie, says: "We have a seminar organiser, Grace Opeyokun, who organises visas, plugs, DVDs, everything we need to ensure that trips run smoothly. "In the past I have forgotten plugs, had scissors confiscated at the airport and forgotten my Polaroid. Grace ensures that everything runs like clockwork."

Tips From BCD Travel:

• If you're hiring a car, check any restrictions. Some hire companies insist on drivers being over 25, for example. Also, car rental is based on a 24-hour period, so a car rented at 3pm, for example, should be returned by the same time the following day to avoid paying for two days' hire.
• Ensure you guarantee a hotel reservation if there is a chance you may arrive late (after 6pm). To ensure a room is held, give a credit card number at the time of booking as a guarantee.
• Make travel arrangements as far ahead as possible - this will often secure the best deals on flights and hotel reservations.
• Check baggage allowance details with the airline before travel - they will vary between airlines and excess baggage costs can be expensive.