14 work travel essentials I’ll be packing in 2026: My go-to gear

Travelling for work can feel like a dream – that is, until you are lost in a foreign city with a phone that doesn’t work and an important meeting to get to.

My 14+ year career has seen me evolve from a ‘hapless apprentice’ getting lost without a working phone in Paris to managing large international events and beyond.

In the early days, my packing strategy involved little more than a toothbrush and a spare pair of underwear.

Now, my days of mindlessly jumping on a plane are behind me. As the years have progressed, I’ve refined my approach.

If I’m travelling for business, I want to be comfortable, and I want to perform the best I can. I’ve spent years finding smart ways to do this whilst meeting ever stricter baggage allowances.

From tech that keeps me connected to equipment that helps me turn my hotel room into a mobile HQ, below I’ve listed the 14 business travel essentials that I wouldn’t leave home without.