Despite a difficult exit from the European Union, Britain is still a major location for all sorts of businesses, from the bustling financial services hubs in London and Edinburgh to North Sea oil and gas, and unique food exports like Scotch whisky and Stilton cheese to digital and creative hubs that pepper the length and breadth of the country, and STEM centres at various world class universities.
So if you’re a forward-thinking entrepreneur in almost any line of work, there’s every reason you might want to travel to the UK in order to meet with potential collaborators, seek funding or expertise or conduct some market research.
To ensure your corporate sojourn in this sceptered isle proceeds as smoothly as possible, read these three tips for hassle-free British business travel.
1. Check visa requirements
Certain passport holders can travel to the UK for a limited amount of time in order to carry out straightforward business activities like meetings without any visa requirements, while this necessitates a standard visitor visa for others.
Meanwhile, if you’ve done your research and have £2 million ready to invest in Britain, provided you pass the suitability tests, you can be issued a Tier 1 investor visa which initially entitles you to live in Britain for 3 years and 4 months, while if you have £10 million to spare, you’re eligible for settlement after two years and a UK passport after five. Find out more on the Tier 1 pages of gov.uk.
2. Book business flights
If you’re doing business in the North of England or Scotland, remember that you can fly direct to cities like Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester from a number of international locations, so there’s no need to necessarily fly through London and direct flights are more convenient and sometimes more economical.
Meanwhile, comfort and privacy are priorities for many businesspeople, therefore if you have the wherewithal you might want to consider a premium service like British Airways Club World, where your plush travel space combines a bed, armchair, dining table and office. When you want to work, rest and play on your way to a high-powered meeting in Britain, this option takes some beating. For more information, take a look at britishairways.com.
3. Organise car hire
Public transport in Britain is fairly efficient and regular compared to many countries, but if you have several meetings in different British towns and cities, travelling in the comfort of your own car can be preferable and the roads here are generally of a high standard.
It’s easy to hire a car online and in a couple of clicks you can choose the model that’s best satisfies your needs, whether that’s a compact Ford Focus that’s ideal for nipping around city streets or a roomy Vauxhall Insignia which might be preferable for longer intercity trips. There are several car hire comparison sites to choose from, but enjoytravel.com is one of the best and typically partners with established international car rental operators.
So ends our list of hassle-free British business travel tips ? take them on board and your next trip to Blighty is sure to be lucrative!
