A Traveler's Guide to Geneva - Switzerland

Switzerland ranks near the top among countries with highest quality of life in the world. The country's most cosmopolitan city is Geneva, which is also one of Europe's priciest. The city surrounds Lake Geneva with stunning views of the Alps and Jura mountain chains and is characterized by its strong French culture, evident in both the language and the cuisine.

Geneva is a major banking center and houses the top 200 international companies' headquarters, including the likes of the United Nations, International Red Cross, and the World Health Organization. The city is also the capital of watch making, one of the world's oldest technologies, with companies like Patek Philippe, Rolex and Piaget carrying forward a 450-year tradition.

Getting around Geneva:

From the airport

Geneva International Airport is located 5km (3 miles) from the city center. From the ticket machine in the baggage recovery area at the airport collect a free 'Unireso' ticket which will enable you to use public transport in Geneva city for 80 minutes. Transports Publics Genevois operates a bus route to the city center, which takes about 35 minutes. CFF trains leave regularly from Cointrin railway station at the airport and takes approx 6 minutes to reach the city. Taxis to the city center cost about SFr30-35 (approx. USD $30) taking 15-20 minutes. The paper includes case studies highlighting how multinational corporations have tackled consolidation, what they gained and what pitfalls the organization encountered along the way.

Around the city

Geneva is a compact city and is easily conquered on foot, but there are a number of transportation options when you need them. Driving is not recommended in the city due to the limited and expensive nature of parking.

Top tip: Pick up a Geneva Transport Card, available to all visitors staying at a hotel, youth hostel or camping sites in Geneva. The card allows you to use the public transport network for free during your entire stay. The local bus system covers virtually every square meter of the city and the intercity bus covers points outside the city.

The central train station, Gare Cornavin, has numerous rail links all over Switzerland and beyond. Be wary of pickpockets in and around the station, and if you're on business travel, don't let your laptop of briefcase leave your line of vision at any given time.

Ferry shuttles cross the lake, operating during daylight hours and departs every 10-30 minutes. Alternatively, pick up a free bicycle behind Gare Cornavin and at Quai du Mont-Blanc. The steep slopes of the Old Town and lack of bike paths in the city are a deterrent for most cyclists, but the paths along the lake are excellent.

Don't miss...

Lake Geneva, Jet d'eau and gardens - Stroll along the promenades around the lake and discover the spectacular flower clock in the gardens of Lake Geneva. If you have time, take a boat cruise on Lake Geneva, with views of castles, monuments and of course the Jet d'eau, the tallest water fountain in the world.

The Old Town & St Pierre Cathedral - Wander along the cobbled streets of the Old Town and visit the boutiques tucked away in the charming alleyways. Stop by the Romanesque Saint Pierre Cathedral, designed in the mid-12th century and took an additional 150 years to complete. For the best panoramic views of Geneva head for the Cathedral tower.

The United Nations - Take a tour of the United Nations, the world's single largest conference center for multilateral diplomacy and top-level international politics. Visit one of the surrounding museums, including the Red Cross Museum or the Ariana Museum devoted solely to seven centuries of glass and ceramics from Europe and the East.

The Saleve - For a quick and easy escape to the countryside, ride the cable car to the top of this mini-mountain and enjoy the breathtaking views of the city below and the Alps in the distance. The more adventurous can also sign up for a tandem parasail or paraglide flight.

Schtrumpfs building - Boris Chappuis, Branch Manager for BCD
Corporate Travel Geneva recommends a visit to one of Geneva's more curious sites - the Schtrumpfs (the French word for "Smurfs") building, which is located in the funky Les Grottes neighborhood. The area is a modern architectural landmark, designed by three architects determined to create the most unconventional building possible. The result is a Gaudi-style mix of colors and designs, which must be seen to be believed!

Geneva's nightlife is unlikely to blow you away, but there are numerous bars and clubs around. The liveliest places are in Carouge - try Le Chat Noir one of the best jazz and blues club in Geneva. The city also has top-notch classical music and opera. Pick up a local guide to see what's on.

Teleconferencing Services Save Businesses Money on Travel

The cost of business travel is out of control these days. Hotel rooms aren't cheap. Rental cars and flights aren't cheap either. Also consider the opportunity cost of other work that an employee could be getting done if they weren't sitting in airports waiting unproductively. All of these costs combined add up to a pretty penny. Don't you think it is time you looked for ways to save the company some money?

One of the ways you can do this is by harnessing the modern technological capabilities of a quality teleconferencing service. These services have come a long way over the years. Most of them now integrate the internet along with voice services so that parties can share various forms of information and collaborate much better. In fact, a lot of meetings can be conducted in an even more productive manner than if they were to take place face to face.

By using a teleconferencing service, your company can avoid not only the cost of travel, but also save the lost office time that the people would otherwise lose due to that travel. These days employees care even more about their time than they do about their wages. You can save them the strain that the travel time puts on their business schedule as well as their personal lives. Just ask one of your employees and you will find that the majority of them would prefer to conduct meetings this way instead of traveling.

There are certain situations that a conference call could not replace. For those situations you are still going to have to spend the money on traveling. If you think about it though, there are probably some instances where you could have saved hundreds if not thousands of dollars by subscribing to an ultra-reliable teleconference service rather than visiting a person in the flesh.

Virtual meetings conducted through a conference service have some distinct advantages that you aren't going to get with a face to face meeting. For starters, the entire thing is recorded. You don't have to worry about missing something that was said. You can always replay the meeting in its entirety. You can include people in the meeting that otherwise wouldn't have been able to make it because the meeting is only a phone call away.

Meeting attendants are far more receptive to this type of meeting because it frees up so much of their other time to do other important work oriented or even personal tasks. It helps you cut out the bull and get down to business. When you are conducting one of these meetings, people are far more inclined to stay on topic and not drift off on tangents. Everybody just wants to get their work done and move on. I can think of few ways that are as positive an impact on productivity.

If you aren't familiar with the capabilities available in a modern teleconference service these days, I suggest you investigate them. You are going to find that the meetings are way more efficient and productive than you think they will be. You will actually save a ton of money while you are increasing productivity and accomplishing company goals. Check it out and see for yourself. I am sure the possibilities of what is out there will surprise you.

Golf on the Go: Bangkok Golf Courses for the Business Traveler

Compared to a lot of other sports golf is time consuming. Not just the playing of the game itself, but also the fact that it often requires a little bit of travel. Plenty of people come to Thailand for golf holidays with the intention of traveling around a bit to check out the courses they're interested in; but there are also a lot of golfers who come to the kingdom on business and might not have time to travel too far outside of the city but would still like to be able to play a round or two of golf in Bagnkok while they are there. And while some of the best golf in Thailand is out in places like Hua Hin, Koh Samui, and Chiang Rai, Bangkok has some great courses of its own (34 of them to be exact) and the Pattaya golf scene (only about an hour from Bangkok) is second to none.

Greg Norman designed Thana City Golf Club just 15 minutes from the airport (about a half hour from downtown Bangkok) is one of the best maintained courses in the country and has recently seen a series of generous funding injections that went into gussying up the course and building an all-but-opulent clubhouse; but it's best hit early in the morning or during the low season for tourism (April through Septemberish) if you're concerned with time because they've pumped money into advertising too and it can get a little crowded.

Muang Kaew Golf Course is without a doubt the closest to the center of the city and Bangkok's main business district. This is one of the best rounds of golf in Bangkok, not only because the course is immaculately maintained and interestingly designed, but because the course is so conveniently located you won't be stressed about getting in and out in the time you have and can relax enough to play properly and enjoy yourself. They also rent poolside apartments so you can make sneaking a few holes in as pain free as possible.

With the incredible Laem Chabang International Country Club and Siam Country Club's two courses in Pattaya golf is never too far away from the business traveler in Thailand (only about an hour farther than golf in Bangkok). Check out the course details for yourself or look into having an agent help you work a few rounds into your schedule next time you have to make a trip to Bangkok; golf can't, and in fact shouldn't, always have to wait until you get home.

Guangzhou, China - No Longer Just For Business Travelers

If you find yourself in Hong Kong with a few extra days, why not take a trip up into southern China to its southern commercial hub, Guangzhou? Formally known as Canton, the city has been the destination for traders for centuries, situated as it is on the Pearl River.

A new generation of business travelers is certainly present in this sprawling metropolis today, but Guangzhou has become more than simply a place of interest to business travelers only. There is a nascent tourist industry, and there are activities and accommodations that will fit travelers on a budget, even backpackers. The real attraction of Guangzhou however is simply to wander its parks and indoor and outdoor shopping malls, marveling at the scale of the development that characterizes the new China. Nowhere is this more evident than in this city, and even a few days is enough to form an impression of just how economically vibrant the country has become.

Guangzhou is just a pleasant half-day train ride up from Hong Kong, taking you through bustling Shenzen, and by the time you arrive at the central station in Guangzhou you will already have been impressed by the size of the city as well as its modernity. There is a metro system in Guangzhou though taxis are relatively inexpensive too, although it's best to have your destination written down in Cantonese if you'd like to avoid unnecessary head scratching and driving around!

I was surprised at just how many good hotels are located in Guangzhou at prices that offer excellent value for money by Western standards. It is not at all difficult to find a room for US $30 per night, expensive by Chinese standards generally (compared to rural areas), but certainly on par or better than what you'd find in the West for that price. I would suggest heading down to Shamian Island, an oasis of quiet in this rather hectic city. It was formerly a trading outpost for Europeans in the 19th century, and the colonial architecture and wide streets certainly took me by surprise. There are several budget hotels and even hostels on the island, as well as some nice restaurants by the river.

While in Guangzhou don't miss a nighttime Pearl River cruise dinner, for reviews of the neon lit skyline: Chinese skyscrapers have a lot more color at night than their staid Western counterparts.

A cultural activity you will enjoy is the Yue Ju, or Cantonese opera, which might remind you just a little bit of Japanese kabuki. Ask around, some of the larger hotels will be able to point you in the right direction.

The mix of old and new you find in Guangzhou makes the city a legitimate travelers' destination now, a lot more than just a place to conduct business. Cheap Guangzhou hotels, reasonably priced restaurants and street food, as well as fairly easy local transport, puts the city on the map for budget travelers as well. I'd suggest going sooner rather than later; the pace of change here makes it clear that the city will be transformed again in just a few years.