The Evolving Role of a Travel Manager
The role of a travel manager extends far beyond booking tickets and tracking expenses. As travel has become a vital element of business operations, travel managers ensure programs are cost-effective, safe, and aligned with company goals while maintaining a strong focus on traveler well-being.
Today’s travel managers are also advisors and strategists, working closely with finance, HR, and procurement to support initiatives such as employee productivity, duty of care, and sustainability. They adapt to changes in the travel landscape, from sudden disruptions and supplier shifts to new technologies that transform the booking and reporting process.
They are the connection between the organization and the travel marketplace, balancing the needs of travelers with the goals of the business, ensuring every trip adds value while minimizing unnecessary costs or risk exposure.
What Does a Travel Manager Do?
Policy Development and Enforcement
A travel manager creates and maintains travel policies that guide how employees book, travel, and expense trips. Policies cover areas such as booking channels, preferred suppliers, travel classes, expense procedures, and duty of care protocols, helping employees understand expectations while keeping spending aligned with budget goals.
Supplier Management and Negotiations
Managing relationships with airlines, hotels, ground transportation providers, and travel management companies (TMCs) is a central part of the role. Travel managers negotiate preferred rates, value-added services, and flexible terms, helping to reduce costs and enhance traveler experience.
Traveler Support and Duty of Care
Supporting employees while they travel is a key function, ensuring they receive assistance during disruptions, medical emergencies, or unexpected changes. Travel managers implement tools and partnerships to track travelers, providing prompt support when needed while aligning with the organization’s duty of care standards.
Data Analysis and Reporting
Through careful tracking and reporting, travel managers analyze travel spend, booking patterns, policy compliance, and supplier performance. These insights guide program improvements, cost-saving initiatives, and supplier negotiations, ensuring transparency and alignment with corporate objectives.
Technology Integration
Travel managers oversee the implementation of online booking tools, expense management systems, and traveler tracking platforms, ensuring seamless workflows and traveler-friendly processes while maintaining compliance and data accuracy.
Why Travel Managers Matter for Organizations
Business travel represents a significant portion of controllable spend in many companies. Travel managers help manage this investment, ensuring it directly supports business goals while maintaining the traveler’s productivity and safety.
Without clear travel management, companies often face challenges such as overspending, inconsistent traveler experiences, and reduced visibility into travel-related risks. Travel managers address these challenges, building structured programs that balance cost control with the needs of travelers.
Their role also aligns with wider company objectives such as:
- Sustainability: Encouraging lower-emission travel options and tracking carbon footprint.
- Risk Management: Implementing traveler tracking and emergency protocols.
- Employee Retention: Supporting wellness during business travel.
Key Skills and Qualities of a Travel Manager
Analytical Mindset
Travel managers must interpret complex travel data to uncover opportunities for savings and identify trends that guide supplier negotiations and policy updates.
Strong Communication
Clear communication is essential, from policy updates and supplier discussions to supporting travelers during disruptions.
Negotiation Skills
Effective supplier negotiations allow travel managers to secure rates and services that reduce costs while enhancing traveler experience.
Adaptability
The travel landscape can shift rapidly due to geopolitical changes, weather events, or supplier developments. Travel managers must be prepared to adjust policies and processes in real time.
Traveler-Centric Approach
Balancing cost control with the traveler’s comfort, safety, and productivity is essential for a successful travel program.
Challenges and Opportunities
Balancing Cost Control and Comfort
While managing travel spend is important, traveler comfort and productivity can impact employee retention and project outcomes. Travel managers must find a practical balance that aligns with company goals.
Managing Disruptions
From weather delays to geopolitical shifts, disruptions are a reality of travel. Travel managers develop contingency plans and maintain supplier relationships that support travelers during unexpected changes.
Meeting Sustainability Targets
Travel managers are increasingly tasked with helping organizations meet sustainability goals, including tracking carbon emissions, encouraging rail travel, and partnering with sustainable suppliers.
Leveraging Technology
Integrating technology like mobile booking, traveler tracking, and automated expense management creates efficiency while enhancing traveler experience, but it requires thoughtful implementation and traveler education.
The Future of the Travel Manager Role
As travel evolves, travel managers will continue to take on strategic roles within organizations. They will lead efforts to integrate sustainability into travel, leverage data for program optimization, and use technology to enhance traveler experience.
Travel managers will increasingly collaborate across departments to align travel strategies with company initiatives, ensuring travel remains an effective tool for business growth while maintaining traveler well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a travel manager reduce business travel costs?
A travel manager reduces costs through policy enforcement, negotiated supplier rates, and data analysis to find inefficiencies.
They also help employees book within policy using preferred suppliers while maintaining flexibility and traveler comfort, aligning spend with company budgets.
What technology does a travel manager use?
Travel managers use online booking tools, expense management platforms, traveler tracking systems, and reporting dashboards.
These tools help streamline booking, track traveler locations, manage spend, and provide insights to refine policies and supplier agreements.
How does a travel manager support traveler safety?
A travel manager supports travel safety by putting systems in place to help locate and assist travelers during trips while providing clear guidelines to minimize risk. They work to ensure employees have access to reliable resources, emergency contacts, and support should change unexpectedly.
Beyond these measures, travel managers often partner with travel management companies to monitor global events and disruptions that could impact employees on the road. They help build clear protocols for emergencies, communicate safety information, and ensure travelers know who to contact if they need immediate assistance. This layered approach strengthens an organization’s duty of care while giving employees confidence that their safety is a priority whenever they travel for work.
Can small businesses benefit from a travel manager?
Yes, even small businesses can benefit from a travel manager or a TMC partner to manage travel spend, ensure policy compliance, and provide support to travelers during disruptions. This structured approach helps control costs while maintaining employee productivity on the road.
What qualifications are helpful for travel managers?
Experience in corporate travel, supplier negotiations, data analysis, and policy management are key for travel managers.
Certifications like GBTA’s Global Travel Professional (GTP) or project management training can also support professional development in this role.
How do travel managers handle travel disruptions?
They maintain clear protocols for rebooking flights, managing traveler safety, and providing real-time updates to travelers.
Partnering with TMCs and suppliers helps travel managers secure flexible solutions during disruptions, minimizing downtime for travelers.
Do travel managers play a role in supporting company sustainability efforts?
Travel managers help organizations meet sustainability goals by tracking travel emissions and encouraging lower-impact options. They work with suppliers who prioritize sustainability and guide travelers toward choices that reduce environmental impact while keeping travel efficient.
They also report on emissions and identify opportunities to improve the travel program’s environmental performance, such as prioritizing direct flights or using virtual meetings when appropriate. This helps align business travel with broader company sustainability commitments.