Can you imagine what traveling was like before smartphones and mobile devices? Quite arguably one of the biggest industries affected by the internet and smart apps is traveling, especially for the busy event professional.
It is difficult enough to head on an excursion when it is for pleasure, but when your job depends on your travel plans going well, that makes it a whole lot more stressful. Connecting flights, connecting with people, and finding out where and when to be, is an enormous task.
There are apps to help you navigate cities, currency, business meetings, and where you are going to lay your head at the end of a busy day. To help keep your brain in order, these apps are fantastic to organize your plans and keep you on schedule.
TripIt
No need for an assistant, TripIt allows you to plan your entire trip from start to finish. From where to eat to where to stay, you can create custom itineraries. If you are working with a team, the advantage is that you get to send out confirmation emails to yourself and the entire group you are traveling with, including your flight plans, hotel accommodations, and even rental car information. Never miss a meetup, everyone will be on your page.
Like A Local
If you travel for business, a key component is going to be eating and entertaining those you are trying to impress. There is nothing impressive about taking your team or clients out for a night on the town to walk into an empty or rundown joint. To make sure you know where the action is, even when you are in your own “Private Idaho,” Like A Local is an app that points out the best neighborhood food, nightlife, and hotspots.
GateGuru
Nothing can hurt your business plans more than missing a connecting flight. But, after all, there isn’t anything you can do about it, or is there? GateGuru is the best personal airport assistant for those who have long delays or layovers to work around. The app provides travelers with maps of terminals in airports around the globe. It also gives you tips about the airport and average wait times calculated at a terminal’s security checkpoint. The GateGuru app is an excellent way to try to avoid missing a connection, or, worse yet, an out of town meeting.
Google Translate
If your annual meeting or conference is abroad, nothing can mess up your plans more than not being able to communicate. Google translate allows you to talk to anyone, anywhere. Immediately translating your words, it is a like carrying an interpreter in your pocket.
OANDA Currency Converter
When you are on the go and people are relying on you, it is critical that you not get hung up on the small details. Nothing is more awkward than waiting for someone to pay the bill because they can’t figure out how to split the check. OANDA will help you convert currency quickly so that you don’t end up looking like you don’t know what you are doing.
Hotel Tonight
Your annual conference is about to start, your room block is full, and you just got word that a last minute add can make the show. Hotel Tonight not only finds you the best deal on hotel rooms you didn’t block, it also alerts you when there is a sudden vacancy, so the big cheese isn’t out staying by the airport.
If you feel as if you live out of a suitcase, let these cool new apps help you out. Like your own personal travel planner, they are an awesome way to stay connected, think fast on your feet, and never get caught up on the small, and frustrating, details of being on the move.
Sign up now, all the cool kids do it!
