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Travel Tips
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Traveling to the United Kingdom
Editor’s note: Global business, and subsequently, global business travel, continues to expand rapidly. In response, CWT Traveler will provide to readers each month in 2007 insights and tips on traveling from North America to other countries around the world. This month’s installment focuses on the United Kingdom.
In business:
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The United Kingdom continues to use a closed style of communication. As a general rule, citizens of the U.K. avoid debate, as they are not easily persuaded to change personal perspective. For this reason, when conducting business it is best to avoid debating, especially about controversial topics.
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Facts are important to citizens of the U.K. Expressing emotion or ambiguous information is not considered appropriate during presentations or negotiations and should be avoided.
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Citizens of the U.K. encourage and highly regard individual achievement. For this reason, individuals within an organization may be perceived as behaving aggressively when pursuing individual achievement and success.
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Rarely is private information shared in a professional environment. In fact, inquiring about one’s children or family life may be considered intrusive.
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In the U.K., women and men are treated as equals. Most women receive similar wages and hold positions similar to their male counterparts.
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As a Western traveler, it is important to know some key aspects of business etiquette when in this region. Travelers should:
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Avoid the “hard sale.” Citizens of the U.K. are not receptive to change so hard sales tactics may seem intrusive and create a sense of pressure to change.
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Be certain their business cards contain an email address and phone number, which are widely used forms of contact in the U.K.
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The citizens of the U.K. place great importance on punctuality. Travelers should be sure their travel time accommodates any potential delays due to traffic.
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In the United Kingdom, business breakfast meetings are becoming more popular, with most dinner meetings reserved for entertainment purposes, not business. If attending a dinner meal, refrain from discussing business-related topics.
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Good to know:
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Greenwich Mean Time is the official time used by the English, set five hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time.
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The most popular sport in the U.K. is football (soccer), although rugby, cricket and golf are also popular.
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More than 50 percent of days in a given year are overcast. Many of these days are balmy and include thunderstorms and flooding.
Source: “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries,” by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway. Published by Adams Media of Avon, Massachusetts
Take eco-friendly hotel behavior to the next level
As previously reported in CWT Traveler, hotel chains and independent properties are increasingly adapting “green” practices to reduce their impact on the environment, often calling on customers to assist by reusing bed sheets and bath towels.
In addition to those measures, there are a number of other steps eco-minded travelers can take to reduce the environmental impact of their hotel stays:
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Help cut down on the use of prepackaged plastic containers by packing and using toiletries from home.
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If hotel-provided toiletries are used, request that the containers be recycled, or bring containers home for recycling.
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Also, if possible avoid using plastic drinking cups and other prepackaged items provided in the room, especially if ceramic coffee mugs or other alternatives are provided. If not provided, a quick call to room service or the front desk may yield results.
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Conserve water by keeping showers to a reasonable length, and by turning off the faucet while brushing teeth.
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Leave the hotel room as if leaving a home – turn off lights and electronic devices, modify the heat or air conditioning and close curtains or blinds to further conserve energy.
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Get information on the hotel’s recycling program and sort trash accordingly.
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Provide the property with feedback on the environmental choices offered. Encourage the progress and urge the property to make further improvements by offering suggestions and observations.
Source: MSNBC
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