Herman Heunes | General Manager | Corporate Traveller | mail me |
If you do one thing differently in your organisation this year, let it be saying goodbye to ad-hoc business travel for good. This is the type of travel that sees your team make three separate trips to Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Nairobi within six weeks. Or book flights with less than five days’ notice. Or add unnecessary expense, complexity and stress to already-packed schedules.
It’s time to stop flying in circles and master trip stacking: the art of grouping client visits, piggybacking on trade shows, clustering commitments by region and slashing your travel budget while protecting your team’s energy.
The case for consolidation
The true cost of a business trip goes beyond airfare and accommodation. It’s time away from family, productivity lost to airports and the mental fatigue of constantly being on the go. Bundling different commitments into one well-planned journey just makes good business sense. On so many levels.
Trip stacking can:
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Boost productivity and engagement
Combining trips reduces travel days. Team members are more available, more productive and less tired – even when on the road. Rather than dreading another ad-hoc trip, it pays to plan ahead. Of course, you can build in flexibility, but ‘stacking’ means you’ll become more mindful about each trip – and more protective of your energy and productivity. Stop flying in circles and focus your efforts where they matter most.
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Enhance wellness and wellbeing
Research presented at the GBTA’s Southern Africa Conference in 2025 showed that the number one stressor for frequent travellers is ‘making family arrangements’, beyond trip length, frequency, and intensity. Business trips don’t happen in a vacuum. They often require a serious support network in the background. Someone at home is handling school runs, childcare and everything else that doesn’t stop just because you’re travelling. When you stack trips strategically, you’re not just saving on airfare – you’re respecting the people covering for you and giving yourself the headspace to actually be present for the work that matters.
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Unlock bleisure opportunities
Planning trips weeks ahead rather than days gives your team the option to extend their stay. This might mean catching up with friends, exploring a new city over the weekend, or decompressing before heading home. Bundling business and leisure is a key retention tool. You’ve saved on flights, they’ve gained an experience, and everyone wins. It’s great for team morale, balance and personal development. Stop flying in circles by using trips purposefully.
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Drive sustainability
Fewer trips mean a lighter carbon footprint. Bundled stays cut both costs and emissions. South Africa’s Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 introduces legally binding climate actions for anyone doing business in South Africa. It includes carbon budgets, caps on greenhouse gas emissions and mandatory reporting. Businesses, big and small, have to consider, measure and report on every trip.
The wins stack up quickly
Advance booking secures lower airfares and better hotel rates, while an extended stay replaces multiple car rentals and premium last-minute prices. The real advantage goes beyond the budget: instead of three fragmented two-day trips stealing six days from the office, one strategic four-day visit accomplishes more while keeping the rest of your fortnight productive.
You’re also “in the zone” for consecutive meetings, building momentum that opens unexpected doors – the colleague who suggests lunch, the prospect available tomorrow, the site visit that happens because you’re already there.
When travel becomes purposeful rather than reactive, everyone benefits: smaller carbon footprint, better work-life balance and sharper focus on the work that actually matters. Stop flying in circles and get strategic about travel.
How to bundle like a pro:
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Start with the anchor
Identify your non-negotiables – the conference, quarterly review or industry event you’re definitely attending. Build everything else around these fixed points rather than booking trips in isolation.
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Map by region, not urgency
When a Durban meeting request lands, ask what else you could accomplish on the East Coast. Stack client visits in Umhlanga with supplier meetings in Pietermaritzburg and that networking event you’ve been postponing. Geographic clustering turns one journey into multiple wins.
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Book early, stay flexible
Advance bookings secure better rates and sidestep last-minute premiums. Book flexible fares and leave breathing room for opportunities or challenges that surface once you’ve landed.
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Choose proximity strategically
Pick venues where you can meet, eat and sleep within walking distance. Hours saved on airport transfers and traffic multiply across multi-day trips. Sometimes, a slightly pricier central hotel beats budget accommodation that demands constant car rentals.
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Think in purposes, not trips
Before clicking “book”, ask: what else needs to happen in this city or region? Can you schedule the team workshop alongside client meetings? Could one extra day accommodate that overdue site visit?
In conclusion
Partner with a Travel Management Company (TMC). A good TMC will have strong supplier relationships and booking tools that make bundling a breeze. Flights, hotels and cars – savings compound when it’s all coordinated. But ultimately, the shift from reactive to strategic travel isn’t just about cutting costs.
It’s about respecting the most limited resource any business has: time. Companies that master bundling don’t just save money – they create competitive advantage by being smarter about when, where and why they travel. Stop flying in circles and travel intentionally.
