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Travel Tips - June 2008
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Traveling to Canada
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 2008 insights and tips on traveling from North America to other countries around the world. This month’s installment focuses on Canada. With readers in both Canada and the United States, CWT Traveler will be highlighting these countries in the June and July issues respectively.
In business:- Being punctual is important, especially for business meetings. Visitors in particular should make an effort to be prompt. Social gatherings, on the other hand, are treated more casually and depending on the event it may be acceptable to be 15 minutes late.
- Morning appointments are generally preferred.
- Make sure to check the time zones. Canada has six, which correspond to time zones in the United States. Daylight savings time is observed from April through October.
- Canadians expect to hear the truth, so exaggerations and embellishments are not respected.
- Be prepared to have written material in English and French, since both languages are practiced.
- Businesspeople expect a firm handshake and direct eye contact.
Good to know:
- English and French are the official languages. For the most part, French is spoken only in Quebec.
- The standard greeting is a, “Hi. How are you?” with a general short response such as, “Fine,
thanks.” A smile or nod is also common with a firm handshake for business greetings. A kiss on the
cheek may also be an acceptable greeting.
- Dinners are generally considered social occasions, vs. business entertainment.
- If necessary, business gifts should be modest and are often given after you close a deal. However, if you visit a home, it is customary to take a gift, the best gifts are those that come from your country.
Source: “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Best selling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries,” by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway. Published by Adams Media of Avon, Massachusetts.
Travelers can save on travel spend and improve travel experience
Many travelers are focused on handling business before, during, and after their business trips, and may not realize that a few simple actions on their part can improve their travel experience while saving their organizations a significant amount of money.
Below are some quick and simple actions travelers can take, that will greatly benefit the companies for which they work:
Read and abide by the Corporate Travel Policy- Many companies have posted on their intranets a Corporate Travel Policy, outlining which travel expenses are acceptable for reimbursement, which air, car and hotel vendors are approved for use by travelers, acceptable dollar amounts for expenditures such as meals, and more.
- Organizations work to balance traveler comfort with cost savings to define acceptable classes
of service for air and hotel travel. Abiding by these rules as outlined in the travel policy, is an
effective way for travelers to control costs on behalf of their company.
Make all business travel reservations through company-approved channels
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Travelers are usually required to call their company’s specific phone reservation line and/or to use their company-approved online booking tool to make travel arrangements. This rule offers many company and traveler benefits, including:
1—The ability to better understand overall spend with a particular supplier and subsequently to negotiate better discounts.
2—The ability to effectively locate and assist traveling employees in the event of an emergency.Book air travel as soon as a business trip is confirmed
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Travelers who book their air travel seven to 14 days in advance of departure save a substantial amount on the price of their ticket—on some routes, booking two weeks in advance has been known to save up to 50 percent.
Sources: Carlson Wagonlit Travel, CWT Travel Management Institute
