When a globe-trotting television crew heads abroad a minimum of twice monthly, hotels and airlines are a primary focus, but after these needs are met, we find ourselves in need of good luggage, an easy, workable itinerary and a place to get office work done. With hundreds of thousands of kilometers (or miles, depending on your perspective) under our belts, here is how we address these needs:
LUGGAGE:
Quality luggage is a must, and while several members of our team have been using HEYS Luggage (see: heys.ca) for a while, one of our Senior Producers recently got us outfitted with several pieces of this lightweight, super durable luggage. Our DP/Camera Guys actually carrie a Sony PMW 200 (pro Camera) in a 21 inch Viking Elite Widebody by Heys; it’s protective, durable and great for carrying the camera onboard aircraft. Another Producer carries a fun and easy to spot limited edition piece by artist Fernando Volken Togni, we tease her that it shows off her Canadian roots. These bags have seen Beijing, been beaten up on the stairs of Hong Kong, been toted around the cabs of New York and so much more. In short, these are great, durable bags that our team genuinely recommends. Some of the women at the office are whispering about Heys handbags, note to self: must research!
TRAVELING OFFICE:
When it comes to getting business done around the world, no one understands the need for the occasional real office more than our Producers. And we’re not talking a coffee shop with wifi; traveling and working in places like New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, London, Hong Kong, Beijing or pretty much anywhere on the planet often requires a real office, complete with boardrooms, relaxing seating area, kitchen, coffee, wifi, audio visual equipment, privacy and more. Well, our team has discovered and become members of REGUS (see regus.com). Regus started in the U.K. and now has offices practically everywhere, and this global team is consistently great, providing executive suites, virtual offices, conference room space and more. We’ve used them in New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, Beijing and well, pretty much everywhere. The New York team is very helpful, and where else can you get an affordable office space adjacent to the Freedom Tower project in Lower Manhattan? (long term rentals are available). A few of our “office neighbors” have given us pointers on this being a great way to break into a new market area or even test the waters somewhere that your company may be interested in and yet not quite sure of (smart).
ORGANIZED ITINERARY:
There are so many apps out there for travel, you may have already found one that is right for you; for us, it’s WorldMate! This is a great free / upgradable app that automatically enters your flight, hotel and other elements simply by emailing the confirmations. A travel itinerary, flight schedule, flight status, weather, currency conversion, maps app and so much more; our team regularly shares information and updates itineraries through WorldMate. There’s a lot to this app (see worldmate.com).
We wish you safe, organized and efficient travel! Also please share your biz trips must-haves with our community, we’re always interested in great new tips.
