Traveling to international marketing conferences is something that many of us have to do regularly. While we’d prefer to stay in the office a lot of the time, there’s no substitute for actually getting out there and meeting people in the industry. For many, it is an invaluable experience and allows tremendous growth. 

Unfortunately, this sort of travel can be stressful. So, how can you make it work for you? 

Plan Your Itinerary Early

Start by planning your itinerary early. Make sure you book your accommodation ahead of time so you know where you’re going and what you’re attending. 

If you book in advance, you can reduce some of the stress many people go through when they try to do things last-minute. Early planning means you’re more likely to get a lower price and a better overall deal. 

If you can check prices on Kayak or Skyscanner, that’s even better. These websites help you find better overall deals, so you’re not having to spend a lot of money just to make the trip. 

Consider Your Accommodation

If you’re just going for the day, say from London to Paris, then luggage storage is usually the best option. Here, you simply arrive at a terminal or a train station, put your bags in a secure lockup, and then take your essentials, like your phone and money, to the conference venue. 

However, if you’re having to stay for longer, then it might be worth exploring conference-friendly hotels. These are located close to venues and offer other perks, like discounted rates for people attending nearby events. 

The last thing you want when traveling to international marketing conferences is to spend hours every day commuting and getting stuck in traffic in a foreign city. That sort of thing is no fun at all. 

Leverage Travel Apps

When attending a marketing conference, it also helps to leverage travel apps. These allow you to plan public transport and take the speediest routes to your destination. 

Unfortunately, transit apps are usually local, meaning you’ll need to download the relevant one for the area you want to go to. However, once it is on your phone, it is usually quite straightforward. 

Google Translate is also helpful. It allows you to deal with language barriers. 

Finally, if you’re always making business trips, then it can be useful to have a multi-currency business account. These allow you to switch between currencies with ease, allowing you to spend in USD, GBP, EUR, and many other major currencies around the world, depending on where you want to go. 

Network Before You Travel

Another pro tip for making international conference travel more bearable is to network before you go. Connecting with people who will be at the event can be a great way to gain extra security and have people to fall back on if something goes wrong. 

If you can arrange meetups for coffee and chats, that’s even more helpful. These get you in the mood for the event while also helping you turn strangers into familiar faces. During business travel, most people are in the same boat, so they will likely value your company as much as you value theirs. 

Stay Healthy As You Travel

Most marketing conferences involve sitting down for long periods, listening to presentations and new ideas. As such, it can be challenging to remain healthy on these trips. Many marketing professionals wind up putting on weight, just because they are having to travel so much. 

Therefore, try to build some exercise into your routine. Going for an early morning stroll helps your body prepare for what’s coming and makes you healthier. 

You could also take pre-prepared food with you to avoid some of the junk whipped up by airlines and conference caterers. Bringing homemade meals dramatically reduces the likelihood of putting on weight or becoming less healthy during the trip. 

Use Downtime Productively

If you have any downtime during your trip, try to make the most of it. You could use it to: 

• Catch up on industry reading or podcasts
• Running through the conference agenda to see what’s on and which elements are your priority
• Drafting a follow-up email and networking with conference organizers and attendees
• Downloading materials in advance to deal with patchy Wi-Fi signals

Reflect On What Went Well And What Didn’t

Finally, you’ll want to take some time out to think about which aspects of the conference went well and which didn’t, so you can plan better for next time. Understanding what was enjoyable and what requires improvement can help make future excursions better.