12 Travel Tips You Should Never Leave the Office Without

Posted by on October 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

By Richard Maladecki – President, Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association

As a whole, we Americans travel often. Generally we enjoy the experience – particularly the joy of traveling for personal or family pleasure.

To enhance these experiences and to guarantee an added positive travel adventure, below find twelve proven Travel Tips for your next (and all future) traveling experiences:

1. Always bring or pre-pack change (quarters) and $1.00 bills for those necessary travel nuisances. These two small items will provide you with needed exact funds for tolls, parking meters, and importantly tips.

2. It may seem unnecessary, but consider maintaining in your toiletry bag, a small roll of duct tape and/or 3-4 safety pins. Both of these items could prove useful, to repair cuffs, ties, blouses or belts.

3. The next item to bring is your cell phone charger. Many seasoned travelers will purchase an additional charger to keep permanently in their suitcase, so to not be without this needed 21st century item.

4. Packing a swimsuit has proven to many experienced travelers to be a “plus.” There are too many examples of individuals that wish they had packed a suit, for use at the hotel pool or beach.

5. Bringing an actual list of your current medications and your doctor’s name with contact information will be prudent – if you misplace or “run out” of your needed prescriptions. This small task of bringing this key information may save you time and your good health (additionally, please add to this medical checklist your blood type).

6. As importantly as the medical list, is a list of your neighbors contact information, including you local police department phone number. This vital information will prove most useful in the event of an “at home” emergency.

7. A much needed item to always pack is the simple night light. This $3.00 product will be a helpful tool in new and unfamiliar surroundings (especially a hotel room).

8. Pre securing a map of the area visiting from the internet, auto club or your local convenience store will prove useful. Furthermore, pre-determine items of interest, including restaurants on this map, prior to your trip to determine “must sees.” (Hint: pre contacting the CVB of the area being visited will be beneficial to secure promotional materials, maps and applicable discount items).

9. If flying, always bring the phone number and website address of your air carrier. Having this information will save time and anxiety in the event of cancellations or postponements (add to this itinerary, by including your hotel name, address, phone and confirmation numbers).

10. Many veteran travelers will acknowledge the need for a jacket or long sleeve shirt or blouse when traveling on airlines. As we have witnessed or experienced, air carriers have a tendency to “dial down,” leaving many passengers looking for a blanket.

11. A travel “must” when bringing your lap top computer is to always “back-up” your data, prior to starting your journey. Additionally, always secure a hotel with internet access and built in-room safes to store your lap top when it’s not being utilized.

12. Pre-packing and extra 50 of your business cards is a simple item to always maintain the necessary number of cards when traveling. Please don’t be that business person who states, “Sorry, I just ran out of cards,” when meeting a potential client.

Pre-organizing your travel plans by incorporating these 12 ideas and adding your personal favorites – will provide you with a stress-free travel experience. Please develop your personal, permanent “checklist” that can serve as your guide to traveling more easily.

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