10 Reasons Why Amsterdam is Perfect for a Business Trip

In today’s every-changing, innovating and fluctuating world of business, destinations all over the world are adapting their infrastructure to meet the needs of the most hectic, work-oriented and deadline-dependent schedules imaginable. However, absolutely nowhere can compare with Amsterdam when it comes to the perfect location for every business need you have, be it attending (or indeed staging) events, entertaining clients, or setting up a mobile HQ from which to get some serious work done. Here at Sarah’s Tours, we’ve compiled our list of 10 reasons why Amsterdam is simply perfect for your business trip.

  1) The Airport Schipol Airport is The Netherland’s biggest airport, located on the outskirts of Amsterdam. Out of Amsterdam, more than 104 airlines fly to and from 97 countries (including almost 350 direct destinations). No matter where you’re travelling from, Amsterdam is one of the most convenient locations in the world to visit. Upon your arrival, should you feel peckish, Schiphol’s old control tower is now a restaurant. Located on the ground floor of the old tower, you can also sit outside during summer to enjoy a bite or a drink. If you’ve come off a particularly long flight, there are several hotels just past security where all can rest, sleep or shower. But if you’re in a hurry to arrive into town, connecting from the airport to the city centre couldn’t be easier. Private cars are readily available to take you directly to your hotel, or the more adventurous can avail of multiple clean, prompt and dependable modes of public transport. Talk to our team at Sarah’s Tours about the different ways to travel in style.   2) Unstoppable Expansion The ongoing Brexit saga has resulted in the mass relocation of multiple companies of all sizes to Amsterdam. The city has undergone a corporate expansion like no other in recent times, making it a bustling hub of industry and innovation throughout not only Europe but the wider world too. A large increase in the relocation of financial firms in particular to The Netherlands resulted in a consequential increase in budgets among The Netherlands’ main financial regulators, with the country quick to capitalise on such unprecedented and exciting growth. In Amsterdam especially, the Fintech scene is exploding. If finance is your bread and butter, then Amsterdam is where you want to be.   3) Conference Central If you happen to be attending a global conference in the near future, there’s a strong likelihood you’ll be travelling to Amsterdam. The Netherlands’ consistently ranks in the Top 10 conference destinations globally, with Amsterdam one of the top cities in the world for conference attendance. The city boasts a wealth of wonderful venues to suit all needs, whether the event caters to the Aerospace & automotive industries, agrifood, creative industries, finance, life sciences and health, logistics, media and broadcasting, real estate, smart mobility, or of course tech, Amsterdam has it all. This year alone, the city is set to host TNW 2020 – Europe’s leading tech festival (18^th-19^th June), as well as the biggest global event in AI – World Summit AI – in October.   4) Location Location Location! The beauty of Amsterdam is that, no matter what your schedule or business needs, you are never more than a figurative stone’s throw away from the rest of Europe. Need to pop over to London for a meeting? A flight can have you there in a few hours. Conscious of your carbon footprint? Convenient train and ferry combinations connect with almost anywhere in the UK. Not to mention high speed trains can take you from Amsterdam to Paris in only 3 or so hours, as well as all over Europe, including such business hubs as Brussels, Dortmund, Cologne, and anywhere else your work might take you. And of course, you can drink in the spectacular architecture of Amsterdam Centraal train station; a truly magnificent building dating back to the late 1800s.   5) Lingua Franca When travelling for business, convenience is key. Amsterdam is arguably the world’s foremost non-native English-speaking city. Encountering an entire population with levels of English that native English speakers could envy, the typically tricky issues one encounters abroad such as working out logistics for your trip or event, booking hotels and restaurants, taking public transport, ordering a coffee, etc are all erased by the almost-guilty-pleasure of being able to converse with practically everyone you meet in English.   6) Accommodation When searching for accommodation, one is truly spoilt for choice in Amsterdam. There is an astounding range of hotels available, catering to every possible need imaginable. Check out our fantastically helpful list of the absolute best places to stay in Amsterdam here. (insert hyperlink to blog piece)   7) Restaurants Whether you’re the type of person who sees food as fuel to get you through the next 24 hours of non-stop meetings, or whether you like to treat yourself after a hard day’s work well done, Amsterdam will satiate your pallet like nowhere else. No matter what your taste, preferred cuisine or desired ambiance, our expert team here at Sarah’s Tours has you covered. Come whet your appetite with our definitive list of the best eateries in town here. (insert hyperlink to blog piece)   8) Entertaining Clients Here at Sarah’s Tours, we know that business trips aren’t all work and no play. Sometimes, clients need to be entertained. Sometimes, you just want to unwind and explore the beautiful city of Amsterdam after work and blow off some steam. Amsterdam is home to one of Europe’s most cutting-edge cocktail scenes, with a host of happening hotspots (such as the splendid Tales & Spirits ) that are simply perfect to clink glasses and close that sale. You can also bring your guests along to a football match at the spectacularly atmospheric Johann Cruyff ArenA. Alternatively, why not treat yourself AND your clients to a bespoke, private 5-star city tour. Contact our amazing team of local experts here at Sarah’s Tours and let’s start assembling the perfect itinerary for you and your guests.   9) Need to get work done? Dying to break free from the confines of your hotel, but still need to get your head down and do some serious work? Amsterdam has one of the world’s most amazing networks of bustling, diverse and ultra-modern coffee spots for you to connect to WiFi and hammer out those vital reports. Getting productive this way also allows you to enjoy the universally addictive pastime of people watching in between screen breaks.   10) Peace, tranquillity, greenery Last but not least, Amsterdam provides business travellers with that which most other major business hubs cannot: the perfect balance between business and nature. Devoid of serious traffic congestion due to our love of bicycles, Amsterdam is quieter than your average major city, with cleaner air to boot. The city is the epitome of calm and relaxation, with spots such as our gorgeous city-centre Botannical Gardens or the nearby Keukenhof Tulip Gardens providing a much-needed escape from the humdrum of your business schedules. Sarah and her wonderful team can arrange a leg-stretching and smoothly-paced bike tour or the city, or why not get away from it all and slow the pace right down than by letting us organise a relaxing boat ride for you along our labyrinthine expanse of beautiful and peaceful canals.

What are you waiting for? Double-check those schedules, contact your clients, plan that event (or book your tickets to one of the countless events unfolding across 2020), and our amazing team at Sarah’s Tours will see you in Amsterdam for the perfect trip balancing work and play. Here at Sarah’s Tours we guarantee you your stay, your way!