Emma Barker, Senior Project Manager at XSEM, gives us insight and advice on how to handle travelling abroad following the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The relaxing of Covid-19 travel restrictions welcome new opportunities when it comes to overseas travel. Incentives and overseas conferences are certainly back with a bang! In the past 6 months, XSEM have travelled to over 12 destinations for site inspections, incentive trips, conferences and FAM trips, and we are delighted to see the world opening up for travel again.
The pandemic has created a new level of hesitation and nervousness around travelling abroad. Here we share our top tips and considerations to ensure a successful overseas event:
Consider a country’s restrictions when choosing a location
Some countries still require pre-flight PCR testing, others require lateral flows whilst some don’t require any pre-flight testing at all. Consider ease of travel when selecting a destination to ensure the simplest and most stress-free experience for your guests.
Simplify travel
Sending out at-home testing kits or arranging in-clinic tests for guests makes the first experience as easy and slick as possible.
Do your research
A thorough itinerary with a step-by-step guide of requirements is essential so guests are aware of everything they need to do prior to travel. Have all of the facts available including mask wearing policies, in-destination requirements and what should happen if a guest tests positive for Covid-19 abroad.
Be prepared for rules to change
Travel restrictions are constantly changing so you need to carefully monitor government and airline websites and communicate changes to guests as soon as possible. Be aware that the UK government website can take several days to be updated. You will need to consider the implications of the rules changing and knock on effects, which may require alterations to the programme.
Pre-trip check-in
Guests, particularly those who haven’t travelled during lockdown, can be nervous about travelling. On our recent overseas trips we have called our guests 4 days prior to departure to check-in and make sure they’re all set.
Best practice
We encourage all guests attending an event, either in the UK or abroad, to take a lateral flow test prior to attending to ensure the safety of themselves and others. Whilst official guidelines don’t require this and we don’t make it a mandatory requirement, we feel it’s best practice to reduce the likelihood of attendees becoming unwell during the event."
Looking to host an overseas event for your team or customers? Get in touch to see how we can take your stress away and help you deliver an unforgettable experience.
Emma Barker
Senior Project Manager