by Anita Leslie – Director of Market Strategy at Capita Travel and Events and NYS Meetings and Events
As we at NYS Meetings and Events approach one of the biggest exhibitions in the business travel calendar, the Business Travel Show (26 – 27 February), it is important that we all book, travel and meet as smart and as ‘green’ as possible.
1. Travelling from the UK - Car vs. Rail
Travel is one of the biggest environmental impacts of conferences, and with over 9,000 people attending the Business Travel Show, planning how you are going to get to the conference is important. Data shows that cars with one passenger emits on average 171g of CO2 emissions, compared to a train emitting 41g* – that is almost a 300% increase! Also, taking the train also has the benefits of you either being able to catch up on some work, the news or TV, listening to music, reading a book or whatever sets you up for the day. Remember, if travelling via train, why not request your tickets as e-tickets? It will minimise waste, and also saves printing costs.
If you do need to travel by car, travelling with four colleagues will dramatically reduce the impact on the planet and this is further improved if you hire an e-car or hybrid. Plus, if you are travelling with colleagues it can give you time to catch up and share the driving.
2. En route
If it’s an early start (or not), a drink en route to the show is always welcome, so it’s worth taking a reusable cup with your favourite hot drink or fill up a reusable water bottle – not only will this save costs but it will also reduce waste. If you don’t have a reusable bottle, why not visit our stand (B140) and pick one up at our dedicated wellbeing station guaranteed to keep you hydrated and vitalised throughout your visit.
3. Arriving at the show
Being active is one of our ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’, so instead of sharing a taxi which can be costly and often be time consuming in London traffic, why not up your step count by walking and travel via public transport? Olympia is well-connected with a number of tube and bus stations within a 2 to 15 minute walk away.
4. Staying over
When booking your accommodation, it’s worth considering its location in relation to the venue – ideally booking as close to Olympia as possible, or somewhere close to a bus or tube station at least. To reduce waste further and to ensure you have a home-from-home feel, why not bring your own shower gel and shampoo? Also, simple things like turning off lights, TV, heating and air-con before you leave your room all make a big difference to the environment. Standing up all day and walking around having great conversations is going to make you hungry. We can all be seduced by the ‘sugar rush’ at these events so considering what you eat to give you lasting energy can make a difference to you and the planet. Consider choosing options such as porridge, fruit for breakfast and maybe even choosing a vegetarian option for supper!
These are just some of the conscious choices you can make before and during your visit to the show that can contribute towards more sustainable, smarter travel.
This year we've make our stand as sustainable as possible, using recyclable materials and ensuring that the stand can be reused again. We're minimising the amount of printed material we are giving out and our business/information cards are seeded – so you can plant them afterwards and be rewarded with flowers. Plus, we have a dedicated wellbeing station where you can learn from our specialists, and we can help you stay hydrated and refuelled throughout the show. With a smarter approach, we provide guidelines to more informed choices and nudging our travellers to encourage the behavioural changes... all small steps in the right direction.
If you have your own goals and want to know how we can help make your travel programme or events more sustainable, why not visit us (on stand B140) to talk to our experts.