Business Can Be a Real Trip

our neighbors may look on with envy when you load your suitcases into a taxi or your car, imagining a jet-set life of traveling to exciting destinations. Little do they know that the places your government post takes you may not be ones you'd choose for a vacation. And even if they are, official business may crowd out any time for sightseeing.

But a little planning and creativity can make business trips more fun. Whether you're able to add on a separate side-trip destination at your expense or can manage to take an hour or two to sample your host city's attractions, a business trip can be the beginning of an enjoyable journey.

Side-Tripping

Government travel, by its very nature, is altogether different from business travel in the private sector. (It also differs widely by agency or government group. Check with your official travel office for specifics about any of the issues discussed herein, since few-if any-travel policies are regulated across the board.) Airfares and rates for hotels and rental cars are generally much lower for the official government traveler than for anyone else, but with those benefits come some restrictions.

For the most part, government travel policies do allow employees to add pleasure trips to their itineraries at the traveler's expense, though it's important to note that many travel agencies serving government contracts are required to put official trip-planning ahead of vacation travel. "It's really a nice diversion to book leisure travel," says Susan Buckalew, customer manager for the SatoTravel office at the General Services Administration's Atlanta Federal Complex. "When I was an agent, I used to love it when I could book an add-on trip that would result in the whole trip-official in cluded-being cheaper in the long run."

Fare-finding triumphs aside, travel agents can tell tales about the lengths some travelers go to in order to sneak in "official" stops that aren't approved by the government. Occasionally it's possible to arrange both official business and the routing of an official trip to accommodate a quick visit to another city (with your supervisor's permission), but more often, the desired itinerary can't be done solely on the government's tab due to city-pair requirements and other factors.

"One customer with family in Australia was always trying to find ways to legitimately make stops there, no matter where his business took him," Buckalew recalls. "Another gentleman tried desperately for weeks to arrange to fly through New York for business for his parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Finally, he realized that a 50th anniversary was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, bit the bullet and bought a separate ticket himself."

If you do decide to purchase an additional trip when you make your business reservations, let the buyer beware: There are some risks to add-on bookings. Many government agencies will not allow leisure travel of any kind to be charged on a government-issued credit card, even with the knowledge that you'd be reimbursing the government. Say you're traveling on official business from Washington to Oklahoma City. If you want to add on a personal trip to Nashville and fly home to Washington from there, you will most likely have to charge the entire trip on your personal credit card and be reimbursed for the official portion. And if your official business in Oklahoma happens to be canceled or changed, you're probably going to find yourself responsible for paying for the entire transaction-business and pleasure.

Of course, when add-on trips work, they work spectacularly well, often saving the government traveler both hassle and money. Many travelers who find themselves in Europe on business take advantage of being overseas to make stops at different Old World attractions, reports Michael McManus, SatoTravel customer manager for GSA nationwide civilian government and leisure accounts. "It's usually really cost-effective to start a European vacation from your government destination," he says. "Travel between European cities from a hub like Frankfurt can be relatively inexpensive and give travelers a chance to see more of the country than they would otherwise." And Hawaii, which attracts a healthy share of official travel, is of course a destination in itself, as well as a good starting point for trips to Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Government employees taking vacations can sometimes take advantage of other government travel benefits. For example, certain hotel and car rental agencies extend government rates to leisure travelers as long as they show proof of government employment. "These discounts can really be substantial," says Carl Wlotzko, SatoTravel's national sales and industry programs manager, "and they're a way for vendors to thank government travelers for their continued business."

However, Wlotzko advises leisure travelers to double-check on discount availability and possible restrictions with their travel agent or the vendor before traveling. For example, many car rental agencies that offer the government discount for vacation travel require that the traveler pay the collision-damage waiver insurance charge, which is unnecessary for official government travel. "A little bit of caution up front saves a lot of headaches later," cautions Wlotzko. "You don't want to be surprised by anything when you're trying to relax."

Quick Sights

Even if time doesn't permit a side trip, many of the cities most frequently visited by government travelers are places that boast world-renowned attractions and draw vacationers in their own right.

The following cities are the most common destinations for government travelers, as reflected in SatoTravel data derived from car and hotel bookings for the first quarter of 1998. We asked local residents, travel agents and convention and visitors' bureau representatives in each place how people who are passing through and have just a few hours to spare can get a taste for the region without having to spend much-if any-of their hard-earned cash. (All attractions listed below cost less than $20, and many are free).

• If you're in Atlanta when the Braves are in town, keep in mind that $2,000 worth of tickets are held back until the day of the game and can be purchased for just $1 apiece, advises Karen McNeely of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (800-ATLANTA). A 45-minute tour of the CNN Center costs $7 for adults. And if you're weary of the city scene, drive 15 miles to Stone Mountain Park, where you can take the sky lift to the top of the mountain for just a few dollars.
• Neighboring cities Baltimore and Washington are a government traveler's dream. In Washington, free major attractions such as the Smithsonian Institution museums, national monuments and the White House are an easy walk from the city center and also accessible by public transportation. In Baltimore, the Inner Harbor's Harborplace & Gallery, reportedly the city's No. 1 visitor attraction, feature a mix of unique shops, 12 sit-down restaurants and 40 diverse eateries, as well as live entertainment on the waterfront. (Washington, D.C., Convention and Visitors Association: 202-789-7000; Baltimore Convention and Visitors Association: 800-282-6632)
• There's more to Honolulu than beautiful beaches, although Waikiki is great place to start, says Donovan Dela Cruz, account executive for the Hawaiian Visitors and Convention Bureau's (800-GO-HAWAII) public relations firm. Admission to all public Hawaiian beaches is free. History buffs may enjoy visiting Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial-both free as well-and Bowfin Submarine Museum, which charges $6 for adults.
• In Jacksonville, Fla., the Jacksonville Landing is a waterfront shopping and dining facility. Water taxis take passengers across the river to the city's Maritime and Historical Society museums. Toward Mayport Naval Station, outdoor enthusiasts can sample biking, hiking and beachcombing at Little and Big Talbot Islands, where the St. John's River connects to the Atlantic Ocean. (Jacksonville and the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau: 800-733-2668)
• While in Los Angeles, visit the Griffith Park Observatory next to the famous Hollywood sign, a short drive from the city center. On a clear day, you'll be able to survey the entire city-from the mountains at the edge of Pasadena to the beaches of Malibu-from the lookout points featured in the film classic Rebel Without a Cause. (Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau: 213-624-7300)
• Laura Walker, government sales manager for the Norfolk, Va., Convention and Visitors Bureau (800-368-3097), recommends the free, one-hour guided tours of Norfolk Naval Base-the world's largest. Downtown, the National Maritime Center includes Nauticus, an interactive museum on the waterfront that celebrates maritime history through virtual-reality adventures, aquariums and a tugboat museum. Admission is less than $10.
• Orlando, Fla., may be famous for its theme parks, but it's also proud of its bargain attractions and city center. Jayne Behrle of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc. (800-551-0181) recommends Church Street Station, a facility constructed of materials from churches in Ireland. During the day, you can browse the shops and people-watch for free; at night, the cover charge for admission to the complex (and its nightclubs) is just a few dollars.
• Remember the Alamo, says the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau (800-447-3372). One of five Spanish missions in the area, it played an important role in the battle for Texas' independence during the war between Texas and Mexico. Nearby, the city's famous Riverwalk is a two-and-a-half mile landscaped path surrounded by unique boutiques and restaurants.
• San Diego's Balboa Park, just north of downtown, is 1,200 acres of "museums, theaters, gardens, sports facilities, the zoo and plenty of open space," according to the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau (619-236-1212). The park is centrally located and accessible by public transportation, and admission to each museum is less than $10. For shopping, restaurants and more museums, try San Diego's Old Town.
• Seattle city buses in the downtown corridor are free between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., says Rochelle Adams, media relations manager for the Seattle News Bureau. Those buses can take you to Pike Place Market, one of the country's largest public markets, and historical Pioneer Square, among other attractions. (Seattle-King County Convention and Visitors Bureau: 206-461-5840)

Nancy Gast Romps is senior media editor/writer for SatoTravel, a travel-management firm that serves government, military and corporate customers.