Traveling is an essential part of any business. Even with new communication technology business people have to travel much as it’s particularly important to establish good face-to-face relations with partners, suppliers and customers.
The top priority for business travelers is good organization of their business trip. Generally, that is the responsibility if a Secretary of a Personal Assistant. Travel arrangements involve booking tickets for a plane or train, transport to and from the airport, booking accommodation, making appointments and arranging meetings.
The first thing which the secretary should do is to learn about the destination and the exact dates of the trip. The dates and times of all the journey, appointments, meetings and events should be listened carefully in the itinerary. She should be aware of the number of people who are going to travel and the budget allowed for the trip so that she could book tickets and hotel accommodation properly. Most businessmen prefer air travel as it saves time. Calling a travel agency and booking a package tour which combines air tickets and accommodation is a common practice when making travel arrangements.
The secretary should take care of the visas, passports and medical insurance in advance if travel arrangements are made without the involvement of a travel agency.
One more thing which is of great importance is the ability of the secretary to support her boss whenever needed when unexpected things happen. For example, when the flight is delayed or cancelled, she should be ready to make changes in the itinerary, reschedule the appointments and meetings, inform the hotel about the problem.