The holiday season is an exciting time, but for business travelers, it often comes with unique travel challenges. From crowded airports and delayed flights to limited availability of accommodation.
For a travel agency, navigating travel in December can feel like a balancing act. It is particularly hectic, leading up to Christmas, as millions of people plan their journey.
However, this varies by region—holidays and peak times differ across the globe. For example, in China, the Chinese New Year triggers massive travel congestion, with 2025 celebrations kicking off at the end of January. This vlog will help you tackle these seasonal hurdles.
Planning Ahead
Planning ahead is a universal tip for business travel, but its specifics can vary depending on the country. For instance, in Armenia, securing a visa well in advance is crucial, even for business travel. Delays in visa processing can derail an entire trip, making early preparation essential. Taking an appointment at the embassy may take weeks, which becomes even more complicated during and ahead of the holiday season.
While December 23 may be a regular day in some parts of the Middle East, in Europe, it’s one of the busiest travel days of the year. Airports and train stations are overcrowded.
This high volume of travelers can lead to delays, long queues, and increased stress, particularly for business travelers juggling tight schedules. While the New Year is celebrated as Christmas in Europe or the United States, there may be differences in travel plans. Christmas in Armenia falls on January 6 so December 10-30 is regarded as an active working month rather than a holiday time.
Beyond visas, booking flights, accommodations, and car rentals as early as possible is a smart strategy. Holiday season demand drives up costs and reduces availability, so acting early can save both time and money.
To navigate this chaos, it’s often better to work with a travel agency like Levon Travel. Professionals can provide real-time updates, and deal with delayed or canceled flights that are all too common during the holiday season.
Packing Tips for Business and Holiday Season
Packing smartly for business travel during the holiday season is essential. Navigating busy airports where luggage is more likely to be lost is one of the problems of business travelers. This is even more critical for travelers from Armenia to destinations like the U.S., South America, or Southeast Asia, where transit flights are common.
Lost baggage during multi-stop journeys, especially when the trip may last only for a couple of days, can create significant stress. Imagine you are going on a business trip to London for 4 days but your luggage is lost in the busiest airport in Frankfurt and you get it back only on the third day of your business trip.
Travel Light: Avoid overpacking, it’s not worth the risk of checked luggage delays. Neutral colors and mix-and-match outfits can save space. Sometimes using compression bags can help fit everything efficiently into a carry-on.
Tech Essentials: Always have portable chargers and activate a VPN for secure work, particularly when traveling to countries with some restrictions.
Gifts and Carry-Ons: Many business travelers take advantage of their free time during a trip to purchase holiday gifts. In this case, be careful not to wrap the items before packing the suitcase to comply with security checks.
Work and Life Balance During Holidays
Balancing work responsibilities with the festive holiday spirit can be difficult but it also offers unique opportunities. On the one hand, traveling during the holiday season allows you to experience beautifully decorated cities, a festive atmosphere, for example of Christmas markets. In addition, taking advantage of pre-holiday sales or Black Friday discounts may become a great experience.
On the other hand, staying focused on work can be tough when everything around you sparkle with holiday lights. Deadlines, meetings, and presentations don’t pause for the festivities, and maintaining productivity requires extra effort. Plan your schedule carefully to strike the right balance.
Use your time on the plane or train to plan what shopping malls and other sites you can visit. The process becomes easier thanks to the tools like task planners or apps. Besides, find quiet spaces in hotels or lounges to work without distractions.
Overcome Travel Challenges with Professional’s Help
Overcoming travel hurdles during the holiday season is more difficult. However, a reliable travel agency can make all the difference. In particular, this refers to planning ahead. A skilled travel agent can handle complex itineraries, especially when transits are involved.
During peak holiday seasons, overbooked hotels can cause huge problems. A travel agent can secure alternative accommodations that meet your needs, even in fully booked destinations.
Additionally, they help with visa applications, a critical step for Armenian travelers in destinations like Schengen countries where early preparation is key.
Travel agencies vary in services—some simply book tickets and hotels, while others, like Levon Travel, offer full-fledged support. They are committed to helping both ahead of the trip and during it when unexpected delays or problems may occur. It refers to all aspects of business travel. Besides, bookings they can integrate leisure into your itinerary and help you with planning what sites are next to the meeting venue or the hotel you can visit.
The most rewarding part of having a corporate travel partner is you can easily trust them with your vacations as they now know your preferences. From planning to journey tips Levon Travel becomes your partner during a holiday season.