You may well engage your overseas assignees better by spending a little time on their downtime as well as their worktime, writes Iain Yule.
Important though it is to get the practicalities of an overseas move right, your assignees may engage with you with closer interest if you can finesse the fun as well as the formalities.
Passport? Check. Visas? Check. Accommodation? Check. Health plan? Check. Schooling? Check. Great ideas for what to do for rest and recuperation while in your new expat base? Um…
It’s important to remember that your assignees who are willing and able to uproot themselves from their comfortable homelife tend to be of the adventurous variety. They are happy to explore new opportunities and new experiences.
That’s why you may want to introduce them to some great ideas of what to do when the office closes for the weekend or the holiday break.
A new expat travel web-channel aims to help you and the assignee explore their new region. The channel does not assume travel starting from New York, Chicago, LA or even London. Instead it concentrates on travel adventures that set off from the expat base.
Let’s take a few instances.
Is your assignee based in the Middle East? They could escape the bustle of Abu Dhabi or the weary drag of Dubai by making short hops to other worlds:
- Hurghada, Egypt. Coral reefs and turquoise waters perfect for windsurfing make Hurghada, on Egypt’s Red Sea Coast, popular. Within easy reach of the Giftun Islands and the Eastern Arabian Desert, Hurghada is a relatively easy beach escape and some of the world’s best diving and snorkeling sites are just offshore.
- Luxor, Egypt. You may well have seen The Luxor in Vegas but this is the real deal. This ancient city grants easy access to the magnificent pyramids. Why not try a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of Kings?
Note that many countries have issued travel warnings for Egypt. If you’re currently planning a trip to Egypt, please consider the risks and monitor your government’s travel alerts.
Is your assignee based in the Far East? They could escape the hulabaloo of Hong Kong or the shock of Shanghai by making short hops to other worlds:
- Siem Reap, Cambodia. This city grants easy access to the ancient structures of Angkor Wat, within one of the largest religious complexes in the world. Siem Reap is Tripadvisor’s #2 Travellers’ Choice Destination in the world for 2015. Hire one of the excellent local guides to design a tour lasting several days through this fascinating, until recently forgotten and overlooked, ancient site.
- Hoi An, Vietnam. On the central coast, Hoi An is a well-preserved trading port of the 15th-19th centuries. Must-sees are the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Quan Cong Temple. The town’s expert tailors will be happy and quick to make you some bespoke clothing.
These are just a few of the travel ideas that begin from expat bases throughout the world. View more at http://www.worldofexpats.com/travel.
I hope you will enjoy sharing some downtime tips when you send employees overseas. Happy assignee? Check
- The author of this article, Iain Yule, is Editorial Director of World of Expats – The First Destination for Expats. You can access free of charge a wealth of information on the whole expat experience at the website www.worldofexpats.com.
