International Travel: Sidestep Business Blunders with These Tips

International business travel spending remains below pre-pandemic levels for U.S. workers, according to the U.S. Travel Association. However, international travel is still a common way of conducting business, despite posing unique challenges when differing cultures and norms are involved.

Being unaware of those differences could result in a misstep that costs your employer a client, throws a wrench into future business dealings, and even hampers your own career trajectory.

“Understand the nuances in ways of doing business [and] not getting upset when people don’t function the same way you do,” said travel expert Jan Louise Jones. Jones is senior lecturer and program coordinator for hospitality & tourism management in the Pompea College of Business at the University of New Haven, Conn.

She has spent the last 20 years conducting research, serving on international committees, and traveling to 17 countries. She has spent the last 20 years conducting research, serving on international committees, and traveling to 17 countries. Jones shared some tips for international business trips that HR professionals can pass along to employees:

Hospitality

“There’re all levels of hospitality,” Jones pointed out. “Really knowing the nuances of hospitality is super, super important.”

She recalled the practice in Jordan of serving strong, unfiltered coffee during meetings.

“It was a huge sign of respect if I was in a meeting with male leaders and they offered me coffee.” However, Jones literally couldn’t stomach the brew. “To just say, ‘I don’t like coffee’ or ‘I don’t want coffee,’ would be off-putting when they are trying to be inviting into their culture,” she explained.

Her work-around was to let her hosts know she loved tea, which they substituted.

Be mindful, too, that your hosts will likely have undergone cultural training in preparation for your visit. Jones recalled being forewarned prior to traveling to Jordan not to extend her hand for a handshake, especially to a man in a leadership position. However, the men greeted her with a handshake.

“I would freeze,” worried about offending them and unsure how to proceed, she recalled. “Keep that in mind. … Sometimes, it’s about interpreting the situation and working through it.”

Meetings

“Observe first,” Jones advised. That includes noting how meetings are set up and conducted and identifying when it’s appropriate to speak or not to speak.

“Sometimes, it’s a very formal process—they’re going to give their speech and then open it up for questions. Sometimes, they’re waiting for you to interrupt them” with ideas. “Remember, you’re a guest in their community,” she advised.

Local Contact

Jones habitually arranges for a business counterpart wherever she’s traveling, “someone who’s ‘boots-on-the-ground,’ who knows the lay of the land on what we’re going to be doing” during the trip and can offer travel guidance on restaurants, areas considered safe for travelers, and other insights.

“Having a local person there who is kind of that connection … is super important and has been very valuable for me,” she said.

She also recommended that travelers register with the appropriate U.S. Embassy, which will send alerts on global occurrences such as natural disasters.

Know where the embassy is located and keep a copy of your passport separate from the official passport. The copy can’t replace your passport, but Jones said it speeds things along with the embassy in proving your identity if you are in need of  assistance.