A good travel profile captures the traveller’s details and preferences to simplify arrangements. The goal is to ensure the traveller arrives at the destination as stress free and as productive as possible. 

The Travel Profile should capture personal information including next of kin, Passport details, hotel and airline preferences, and dietary requirements. As this information is sensitive it should be treated as highly confidential. 

This form should be one of the first documents the new directors fills out and it should be reviewed annually to ensure information has not changed ( e.g. house move).  

Personal Information

This is an opportunity for the new director to provide you with their basic information, including their preferred name i.e. Ronald may prefer to be addressed as Ron, personal mobile numbers and spouse’s names. These details should be transposed to a single document and distributed to other members of the board for ease of reference. See Director’s contact information.

Passport details

The Passport details should be entered into your company’s travel management system. It is imperative that the details entered are the same as those on the Passport the director will be travelling with. 

To ensure this information is correct obtain a copy of the photo page of the Passport and keep this on file. If a traveller has multiple Passports keep copies of these details as well and check with the traveller before issuing tickets for international destinations which Passport will be used. 

Also take note of the Passport expiry date and put a reminder in your diary one year, six months and four months before it is due and send reminders to the director to provide you with the new information. (Note some countries will not let you enter with less than 6 months validation remaining.

Hotel, Airline and Car transfer preferences

People like routine and are put at ease with familiarity. Using the same Airline, Hotel and Car company’s will give the traveller comfort knowing what to expect. Also, the travel organiser can form a relationship with the organisations, which is always helpful.

Dietary requirements and preferences

Being informed of a food allergy is a must. Understanding preferred foods and wine or spirits preferences is very helpful when organising catering. Understanding if a director does not like mushrooms or capsicum can help when pulling together a menu. 

Other Information

This section could include requests to have a soft pillow in the hotel room on arrival or would like a walking route around the hotel sent with their itinerary.

Review the document regularly

It is important to remember to review this document with the traveller at least annually. People’s lives change and they may not think to tell you.

The best thing about a Travel Profile?

You don’t have to ask your traveller questions – you just do it. This saves time for both of you.