Planning a meeting internationally comes with an added set of woes. Not only do you have to worry about the typical meeting nightmares, but you also have added challenges—language barriers, international data coverage and the unreliability of foreign transportation, to name a few. Luckily smart phones have made the international meeting planner’s job easier with translators, maps, restaurant guides and free communication plans all at your fingertips. Here are five must-have apps that will help the international meeting planner feel less like a foreigner at their own meeting.
Heytell
With iMessaging now available on newer iPhones, it’s become pretty easy to text over the Internet, but Heytell takes it a step further by essentially turning your phone into a walkie-talkie. The free app helps make communication between your event team that much easier overseas.
Google Translate
Running an event in a foreign country can be tricky if you don’t know the language. Luckily, Google Translate is here to help. All you have to do is type a word or phrase, and it will automatically translate it for you. The free app can translate 58 languages in text and 23 languages in audio.Â
Foodspotting
Hoping to try a traditional sticky rice dumpling in China or authentic schnitzel in Germany? Foodspotting recommends restaurants based on the dishes that other friends, experts and foodspotters eat and share.
FlightTrack 5
Track your international flights as well as those of your VIPs, speakers and key vendors. The app is a bit pricier at $4.99, but it’s worth the stress and time saved from tracking everyone’s flights on your own.
mytaxi
Some cities, especially international ones, have yet to jump on the Uber or Lyft bandwagon. That’s why there’s mytaxi, the app that connects 10 million users with 45,000 taxis worldwide. Its platform works just like Uber or Lyft by booking nearby taxis in real time and allowing you to pay through a credit card saved in the app.
