3 Skills You Can Develop While Travelling

3 Skills You Can Develop While Travelling

We know the value of professional skills and maximising our time at the desk, but what if I told you the most valuable skills for your career are built outside of the office, through travel?

As a frequent business traveller, my life isn’t just nice flights and beautiful hotels. It's also about growth: attending conferences, immersing myself in new cultures, failing in another language, and learning local customs. Hostelworld Group (2017) found that 2/3 of UK adults believe travel enhances employability. That was pre-pandemic, before the world became even more connected, so I’d imagine that number is even higher today. I’m one of those people. I can safely say I’ve developed my core life skills – networking, listening, and communication – through travel.

Here are three key skills that travel helps you develop (skills that you can even add to your CV):

1. International Business Networking

Every time I travel, I make it a point to network. Networking isn’t just about attending events or conferences, it’s about connecting with people in all kinds of situations.

For example, on the flight to my recent holiday, I spoke to a fellow neighbor on the plane who worked at the Ministry of Defense. She shared details about her work in Bristol, how they host tenders (business opportunities), and even gave me local tips for making the most of the Maldives. Whether it’s in a hotel lobby or a random encounter in a café, networking can happen anywhere.

By growing these global connections, you also learn about different industries, cultures, and perspectives to improve knowledge and who knows, even discover business opportunities.

2. Active Listening and Learning

During my travels, I work on active listening - a skill many of us have lost with today’s shortened attention spans (can we agree?).

I listen to people’s stories and experiences, and ask mindful, curious questions - I can’t help but stay curious! This habit has enabled me to host interviews with world leaders, from Princess Lamia M Al Saud of Saudi Arabia to Gilberto Silva of Brazil and Taha Shah Badussha of India.

These listening moments help me adapt pitches when speaking in different countries, gather insights, and stay open-minded when processing new information. Listening is a key business skill — especially when you're building relationships with clients or partners across cultures.

3. Curiosity and Cultural Awareness

Travel nurtures curiosity and builds cultural awareness. When I visit new places, I dive deep into understanding the local culture, traditions, and ways of life. This curiosity isn’t just about having fun or seeing new sights, it’s about improving my cultural communication skills.

I ask the staff members and random strangers where I should visit, where the best coffee spots are and try to pick up a new word in every language. For example, “Dolce Far Niente” – the Italian concept of the sweetness of doing nothing – is one of my favorite quotes and lifestyle. It’s a philosophy we can all learn from.

Curiosity also makes people feel seen and in turn, helps to enhance your communication methods, which helps in proposals, interviews and can even be mentioned on your CV as part of your international experience.

A few years ago, my best friend (who is Spanish) left me with at her family home with her parents for dinner, while she went to work. I communicated in broken Spanish and Italian, smiled, and hand gestures. It’s still one of the most wonderful memories I hold.

Takeaway

Travel offers more than just a change of scenery. It’s a chance to develop essential skills that shape you as a leader. By focusing on networking, listening, and staying curious, you’re not only enriching your experiences, but you’re also building a stronger, more adaptable skill set for the future.

Key Piece of Advice

So, when you get the chance to travel, embrace it. See it as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. The skills you gain from travel are invaluable and can set you apart in the competitive business world. And lowkey, isn’t this what we should be business expensing? ;)

So What?

If you’re looking to make a meaningful impact in your career, remember that some of the most valuable skills come from experiences outside of your office. The next time you travel, keep networking, keep listening, and stay curious. These small actions will help you level up in ways you never imagined and who knows, the opportunities it might bring can be dinners with strangers, insights into tenders or a new word you’ve picked up that reframes the way you think.

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Sonya Barlow is an award-winning entrepreneur, presenter and author with over 100K followers. She hosts her self-titled YouTube show "The Sonya Barlow Show", authored the business book "Unprepared to Entrepreneur" and runs a business inclusion consultancy and careers app, the "LMF Network". You can work with Sonya for campaigns, content and conversation. Connect via email 📩 - Hello@SonyaBarlow.Co.Uk.