Travel agency vs online booking — which works best? Travel agency vs online booking – what’s right for corporate travel? Ask any travel manager, finance lead or PA what they prefer — letting employees book their own trips online or handing everything to a travel agency — and you’ll get strong opinions on both sides. Some value speed: a quick search, a company card, a flight booked in minutes. Others want structure: negotiated rates, policy-approved hotels and someone to call when a train is cancelled at 6 a.m. That’s the reality of travel agency vs online booking. It isn’t a debate about old vs new. It’s about control, cost, traveller safety and how much time your team can afford to spend fixing travel problems. This blog breaks it down for the people who make those decisions every day, the ones approving the spend, updating the policy or booking flights at the last minute. We’ll look at where each option works best, where it falls short and how companies are starting to mix both approaches. What’s the difference between a travel agency and online booking? Both options get your employees from A to B. The difference is in how much control, support and flexibility you want along the way. Travel Agency (TMC) Online Booking (Self-Serve) How it works Uses a business travel agency or TMC to book, manage and support corporate travel. Employees or travel bookers search and book directly through airline/hotel websites or online platforms. Control & policy Can enforce travel policy, budget rules and approval flows automatically. Relies on employees to follow policy manually — easy for out-of-policy bookings to slip through. Support 24/7 human support for delays, rebookings or cancellations. Usually limited to chatbot/email support; employees fix issues themselves. Pricing Negotiated hotel and flight rates, bundled reporting, booking fees. No booking fees, but rates vary. Cheaper upfront — but can be more expensive over time if unmanaged. Reporting & data Centralised travel and expense data, carbon reporting and cost forecasting. Harder to track spend and employee locations; data lives in inboxes and receipts. Traveller protection Duty of care alerts, traveller tracking, emergency support. Responsibility falls on the company — difficult to manage at scale. Neither option is automatically “better” than the other. It all depends on your priorities: Need tight control, reporting and duty of care? Travel agency / TMC makes sense. Need flexibility for low-cost, simple trips? Online booking works fine — if policy compliance doesn’t become a problem. And the real challenge isn’t choosing one forever, it’s knowing when to use each option. Pros and cons of using a travel agency for corporate travel Using a travel agency or travel management company (TMC) can take the stress out of travel planning — especially when you’re managing multiple employees, destinations and budgets at once. But it does come with trade-offs. Advantages of using a travel agency or TMC 1. Someone else handles the logistics Flights cancelled at midnight? Hotel lost the booking? A travel agency sorts it — no scrambling on WhatsApp to help travellers stuck at an airport. 2. Built-in travel policy compliance Instead of relying on employees to “remember the rules”, TMCs bake your policies into the system. If a flight or hotel option is outside budget or not approved, it simply won’t appear. 3. Better rates and negotiated deals Agencies often have access to corporate rates — especially for hotels, frequent routes or long stays. Over time, this adds up to real savings rather than one-off discount codes. 4. Traveller tracking and duty of care If there’s a safety incident, storm or strike affecting travel, TMCs can tell you exactly who’s in that location and help get them home fast. HR and operations don’t have to rely on spreadsheets. 5. Clear reporting and spend insights Finance teams get consolidated invoices, spend breakdowns per department or project, and visibility on what’s being booked and why. No more chasing receipts. Drawbacks to be aware of Booking fees — Agencies usually charge per booking or via a subscription. It’s workable when weighed against time savings, but still an added cost. Less flexibility — Travellers can’t always book their favourite boutique hotel or low-cost airline if it’s not in the agency’s system. Some agencies feel old-school — Clunky interfaces, slow responses or rigid processes can put off employees used to booking everything online in seconds. When a travel agency works best ✔ You manage frequent travel across multiple teams or locations ✔ You need traveller tracking and duty of care support ✔ Expense reporting, invoicing and compliance are causing headaches ✔ You can justify booking fees with time or cost savings Pros and cons of online booking for corporate travel Online booking tools make it easy for employees to book travel themselves — no phone calls, no email chains, no waiting for an agent to reply. But while it’s fast and flexible, it doesn’t always fit when you’re managing policy, budgets and accountability. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo Advantages of booking travel online 1. Fast and familiar Most people already use booking sites for personal trips. They know the setup, the filters, and how to find deals quickly, with no training needed. 2. Full flexibility Travellers can choose flights, hotels or trains that suit their schedule. Useful for last-minute plans or when they know exactly what they want. 3. Often cheaper (at first glance) Online platforms show low-cost options and promo deals instantly. But without corporate rates or policy filters, the cheapest option may not always be the best value overall. 4. Immediate confirmation No “we’ll get back to you”. Online booking gives instant itineraries, mobile check-ins and digital receipts — ideal for tight schedules. Where online..
Month: November 2025
Goodwings alternatives to consider for your next travel plan
Best Goodwings alternatives for smarter business travel in 2025 Smarter options for teams who need cost control and traveller support Corporate travel has become more demanding to manage — and flights and hotels are only one part of the job. Travel managers and finance teams now need tools that track emissions, keep spending under control, support travellers on the road and still make bookings painless. Goodwings is a popular name in this space for its sustainability focus, but it doesn’t cover every need for every business. That’s why many companies are looking at other platforms too. Some want stronger policy controls. Others need better pricing, local accommodation options or full visibility of travel spend. And with travel budgets on the rise again, choosing the right Goodwings alternative can make a big difference across finance, HR and operations. In this guide, you’ll find nine platforms worth thinking about — from sustainability-focused options to full travel management solutions like Roomex, built for businesses with people constantly on the move. What Goodwings offers and why businesses consider alternatives Goodwings has built its reputation around one core idea: making corporate travel more sustainable. It allows companies to book hotels and automatically calculate the carbon footprint of those stays. The platform then funds verified climate projects to help offset emissions, and provides reporting to help businesses track their environmental commitments. But while sustainability is a clear strength, it’s not the only factor businesses consider when choosing a travel partner. Here’s where gaps start to appear: Limited booking coverage – Goodwings focuses mainly on hotels. Flights, trains and ground transport often still need to be arranged elsewhere. No built-in expense management – Finance teams still have to process receipts, reimbursements and approvals through separate tools. Not ideal for field-based or mobile workforces – Companies that book large volumes of short-term stays for engineers, construction teams or contractors often need more flexible inventory and payment options. Cost and scalability – For growing businesses, sustainability tools are valuable, but only work long-term if they’re paired with budget control, automation and traveller support. That’s why many teams – especially in HR, finance, operations and travel management – are now comparing Goodwings alternatives that combine sustainability with cost control, support on the road and full visibility of spend. 1. Roomex — ideal for teams managing workforce travel and accommodation If your company frequently books travel for engineers, construction crews, field service teams or contractors, Roomex is one of the strongest Goodwings alternatives to consider. Unlike platforms built for corporate travellers flying to conferences or client meetings, Roomex specialises in workforce travel — short-notice bookings, long stays, group travel and cost tracking at scale. Why Roomex? ✔ Accommodation built for mobile workforcesAccess thousands of workforce-suitable hotels and serviced apartments — close to project sites, industrial areas or remote locations, not just central city business districts. ✔ No more paying upfrontWith RoomexPay, employees don’t use personal cards. Bookings, payments and receipts are handled centrally — no expense forms, no late claims and no staff left out of pocket. ✔ Real-time spend visibilityFinance teams can view all hotel costs in one dashboard, filter by project, region or employee, and export data instantly for reports or audits. ✔ Duty of care and traveller trackingA live map shows where staff are staying or travelling next. If plans change, support is available via phone or live chat — 24/7. ✔ Sustainability without the adminRoomex works with sustainability partners to help companies calculate emissions and choose greener accommodation options, without extra tools. Who Roomex works best for Field service, construction, energy, logistics and engineering businesses Finance teams who want full control of spend without processing thousands of receipts HR and travel managers who need visibility, approvals and traveller support in one place Companies who want sustainability reporting — but also need scale, savings and operational ease Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo 2. American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) For larger organisations with complex travel needs, Amex GBT remains one of the most established travel assistance companies in the industry. It offers a full corporate travel ecosystem, from booking and duty of care to meetings and sustainability programmes. While Goodwings is primarily known for its carbon offsetting and sustainable booking approach, Amex GBT combines that with scale, global service teams and strong policy compliance tools. Why Amex GBT makes the list ✔ Global reach and 24/7 traveller supportWith travel counsellors available worldwide, employees aren’t left to handle flight cancellations or rerouting alone. ✔ Policy compliance built-inTravel approvals and budgets are synced with the booking platform, reducing off-policy bookings and surprise costs. ✔ Emissions reporting and sustainability toolsCompanies can track travel-related emissions and set reduction goals across airlines, rail and hotels. ✔ Corporate card and expense integrationsWorks well with American Express cards and expense systems to make reconciliation and reporting easier for finance teams. Best for Medium to large enterprises with international travel Companies needing a combination of sustainability data and controlled booking workflows Businesses that want traveller support in every time zone 3. BCD Travel BCD Travel is a long-standing corporate travel management company that focuses on data-driven decisions, traveller safety and spend visibility. Unlike Goodwings, which leans heavily into carbon offsetting and climate-focused bookings, BCD offers a broader corporate travel structure with sustainability as one feature rather than the core product. It’s well-suited to organisations that want strong control over budgets, analytics and global support — without losing flexibility. Why BCD Travel ✔ Data and reporting through DecisionSource®BCD’s analytics platform gives finance and travel managers real-time data on spend, booking behaviours and policy compliance. ✔ Duty of care and traveller trackingLive risk alerts, traveller location tracking and incident monitoring help teams stay compliant with safety..
Top travel assistance companies business travellers trust
The top travel assistance companies businesses rely on Built for teams who handle policies, approvals and traveller safety Corporate travel has become more demanding in recent years. More people are travelling for work, trips are lasting longer and expectations around safety and support are far higher than they used to be. For travel, HR and finance teams, that means booking flights and hotels is no longer enough — traveller wellbeing, policy compliance and risk management now sit at the centre of every trip. That’s why more companies are turning to travel assistance companies. These are the organisations working behind the scenes to keep travellers supported when plans change, flights are cancelled, medical help is needed abroad or documentation goes missing. They offer real-time help when things go wrong, and give companies confidence that their duty of care obligations are being met. In other words, travel assistance isn’t about luxury perks. It’s about protecting people, staying compliant and making sure business travel keeps moving even when problems arise. Next, let’s get clear on what travel assistance actually involves and how it differs from traditional travel booking. What is travel assistance (and how is it different from travel booking)? Travel assistance is not the same as travel booking. Booking gets your employees from A to B — flights, hotels, ground transport and the itinerary they’ll follow. Travel assistance supports them when something goes wrong along the way. It’s the difference between reserving a hotel room and getting help when a traveller arrives and the booking isn’t recognised. Or between booking a flight and having someone organise a new one when the original is cancelled and they’re stranded overseas. Here’s how the two compare in practice: Travel booking Travel assistance Flights, hotels, trains Medical emergencies abroad Trip itineraries Flight disruption support Policy-approved hotel rates Lost passport or documents Group bookings Emergency evacuation or repatriation Expense documentation 24/7 traveller support and duty of care updates In summary, travel assistance is the safety net. Some providers specialise purely in emergency medical help and repatriation (like Allianz Assistance or International SOS). Others, such as large travel management companies, package assistance with booking, spend control and reporting. Platforms like Roomex sit in-between — handling bookings, payments and visibility, while supporting travellers with real human help when things go off-plan. As duty of care rules tighten and employee expectations rise, businesses are no longer asking if they should provide travel assistance, but who they should trust to deliver it. Why businesses are investing in travel assistance now Travel has picked up again, and with it, the risks, costs and responsibilities that come with sending people on the road. What’s changed is the expectation. Travellers don’t just want flights and hotels booked; they want to know someone has their back if things go wrong. And companies can no longer afford to treat that as an afterthought. Three big shifts are driving the rise in demand for travel assistance companies: 1. Duty of care isn’t optional Employers are legally and ethically responsible for their travellers’ safety. If someone gets caught in extreme weather, political unrest, a medical emergency or even a missed connection, companies are expected to provide help — not apologies. A travel policy alone doesn’t solve that. Real support comes from having a partner who can: Locate travellers at any time Contact them during crises Organise medical support or evacuation Rebook flights and accommodation when plans collapse 2. Travel disruptions are more frequent (and more costly) Flight cancellations, strikes, lost luggage, last-minute schedule changes — none of that is new. But it’s more common and more expensive than before. Every disrupted trip doesn’t only bring a frustrated traveller — it brings missed meetings, wasted spend, extra hotel nights, and pressure on finance to explain why budgets keep creeping up. Travel assistance providers reduce that impact by fixing problems fast, before they snowball. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo 3. Traveller expectations have changed People are travelling more frequently for work, often alone and to unfamiliar places. Many are extending work trips for leisure too. They want flexibility, but also reassurance. What’s shifted is how they define “support.” Not a chatbot. Not an email ticket. They expect a human response — someone who can pick up the phone, talk to the airline, book a new hotel or speak to an embassy if needed. Clearly, travel assistance has gone from a “nice extra” to a core part of responsible travel planning. Which raises the real question — who should you trust with it? Next, we’ll look at the travel assistance companies businesses rely on most. The top travel assistance companies businesses rely on Not all travel assistance companies work the same way. Some focus on emergency medical support. Others combine booking, spend tracking and traveller protection in one platform. The best choice depends on how your business travels, how often, and how much support your employees realistically need on the road. Below are the providers most commonly trusted by corporate travel, HR and finance teams — including a mix of global travel management companies and specialist assistance providers. 1. American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT One of the biggest names in business travel, Amex GBT mixes bookings, policy management and travel assistance into a single platform. Why businesses choose them: 24/7 traveller support in 140+ countries Disruption alerts + automatic rebooking during flight cancellations Traveller tracking and risk updates for duty of care Integrations with expense tools like SAP Concur and HR systems Best for: Enterprise businesses with frequent international travel and centralised policies. 2. BCD Travel Known for data-driven travel programmes and traveller safety tools, BCD provides both proactive risk management and on-demand assistance. Key features: Real-time alerts..
What bleisure travel trends mean for corporate travel in 2025
Latest bleisure travel trends shaping corporate travel in 2025 Insight for teams who manage budgets, travellers and policies A work trip isn’t always a quick flight, a meeting and straight back home anymore. More employees are adding a weekend in Lisbon after a client visit, inviting family to join them in Paris, or working remotely from the hotel for an extra day before flying back. This blend of business and leisure — bleisure travel — has gone from occasional requests to a recognised part of corporate travel. And the numbers back it up. The global bleisure market was valued at $430 billion, and Statista predicts it could grow by 500% by 2033. In the UK alone, 42% of travellers extended a business trip for leisure in the past year. Travel managers are seeing more extended stays, finance teams are fielding questions about expense limits, and HR is having to think beyond flights and hotels to traveller wellbeing and fatigue. Employees aren’t asking for luxury holidays on company time. They’re trying to make better use of time already spent travelling — especially when the average business traveller is away from home 22 days a year. For employers, this shift raises questions: Who covers the extra hotel night? Are they still covered under company insurance? What happens if something goes wrong during the leisure part of the trip? The smart companies aren’t ignoring it. They’re building travel plans and policies that allow flexibility, protect budgets and make expectations clear for everyone involved. In this blog, we’ll explore the biggest bleisure travel trends right now, how they’re reshaping corporate travel, and how you can plan for them before the New Year rings in. What is travel and expense data analytics? Bleisure travel is simple on paper: an employee takes a business trip and adds leisure time before, during or after it. But in practice, it comes in different forms, and the way you plan for it affects budgets and traveller satisfaction. Some common examples you’re likely already seeing in your organisation: An employee attends a conference in Berlin and stays two extra nights to explore the city (paid personally, but within the same hotel booking). A project team finishes work in Madrid on a Friday and works remotely from the hotel on Monday before flying home. A senior manager flies to Toronto for meetings and brings their partner along, paying for additional flight and meals themselves. A contractor works on-site abroad for weeks at a time and uses weekends to visit nearby cities instead of flying home. It’s not a new idea — but the frequency and acceptance have changed. In a recent U.S. survey, 84% of employees said they want to include personal time on their next work trip, and nearly half (48%) already did so in the last year. Travel managers are noticing it too, with 41% reporting an increase in employees asking to extend their stays for leisure. So why does it matter for corporate travel policy? Because once a work trip shifts into personal time, several things change: Budgets — who pays for what? Insurance and duty of care — is the traveller still covered? Tax and compliance — could it be considered a taxable benefit? Approvals and tracking — how do you record the shift from business to leisure? This is where many policies fall short. They allow bleisure informally, but don’t outline the guardrails. And when that happens, finance is unsure what to reimburse, HR worries about liability and travel managers are left making one-off decisions. Understanding what counts as bleisure (and where business ends) is the first step in building travel plans that support employees without creating confusion or risk. Why bleisure travel is on the rise Bleisure travel isn’t a phase that will fade out. It’s a response to how work, wellbeing and business travel have changed — and the rise is visible across industries, continents and age groups. The data makes it hard to ignore. Over the past year, several things have accelerated its rise. 1. Travellers want more value from time spent away from home Business trips can be tiring. There’s long flights, unfamiliar cities, and time away from family. So it’s no surprise that travellers are turning work trips into something more worthwhile. In one survey, 84% of U.S. travellers said they want to add personal time to their next work trip, and 48% already have in the past year. In the UK, 42% of business travellers extended their stay for leisure in 2023. 2. Companies are travelling more — but want happier, more productive travellers Corporate travel is back and growing fast. 62% of CEOs increased their travel budgets in 2024, and business travellers now spend an average of 22 days a year on the road. Longer trips, rising workloads and focus on retention make traveller wellbeing a bigger priority — and bleisure offers a low-cost way to support it. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo 3. It can actually save money An extra Saturday stay can make flights cheaper due to airline pricing rules. In many cases, a traveller extends a trip, pays for their own accommodation, and still costs the company less on flights. For finance teams, this isn’t just a perk — it can be a budget benefit when managed correctly. 4. Remote work has changed everything Work is no longer tied to the office. Employees can answer emails from a hotel lobby or join meetings from another country. That flexibility blurs the lines between work and leisure — naturally leading to longer stays and more blended trips. 5. The market is growing faster than expected The global bleisure travel market was worth $430 billion in 2024 and..
How travel and expense data analytics transforms business travel strategies
How travel and expense data analytics can guide your corporate travel policy A practical guide for teams who manage budgets, policies and people on the move Business travel used to be straightforward: book a flight, file an expense, move on. Now it’s one of the most closely watched parts of company spending. Finance teams want accuracy and control. HR needs visibility and reassurance that travellers are safe. Travel managers are stuck in the middle, trying to balance cost, comfort and compliance without adding more admin to the process. And yet, most teams are still working blind — spread across inboxes, spreadsheets and half-complete expense data. This is where travel and expense data analytics makes a huge difference. It gives you a clear picture of what’s actually happening: which routes drain the budget, where policy is ignored, how often trips are extended, and where travellers might be stretched too thin. You don’t need to wait for month-end reports or rely on assumptions. You can see trends as they form and make decisions based on evidence, not instinct. It’s not about tracking every sandwich or train ticket. It’s about having enough clarity to make travel policies that feel fair, protect people on the road and stand up to budget scrutiny. What is travel and expense data analytics? Travel and expense data analytics is simply the process of collecting, tracking and analysing all the data connected to business travel — flights, hotels, mileage, expenses, policy compliance, approvals and even duty of care. It brings this information together in one place so finance, HR and travel teams don’t have to work from guesswork or stitched-together spreadsheets. That data comes from places you’re already using, like: Hotel and flight bookings Corporate cards and travel allowances Expense reports and receipts Traveller itineraries and check-in data Policy approvals and exceptions Real-time traveller locations and risk alerts When you connect these sources, you’re no longer seeing what was spent. You start seeing why it was spent, and where you can make better decisions next time. Why it matters now Business travel has come back, but expectations have changed: Then Now Expense reports submitted after the trip Real-time spend visibility “That’s just what travel costs” Data-backed budget planning One-size-fits-all travel policies Policies built from actual employee behaviour No idea where staff are during travel Live duty of care tracking Manual reconciliation at month-end Automated analytics dashboards Companies no longer just want to know how much they spent on travel last month. They want to know: Which departments go over budget the most When travellers are booking outside policy and why Which suppliers offer the best value — not just the cheapest rate How often delays or long journeys affect productivity Where employees are travelling in real time for safety and insurance purposes That insight is what separates organisations that react to travel spend, from those who plan for it. How travel and expense data analytics improves your travel policy Most travel policies are written with good intentions — protect the budget, keep travellers safe, avoid unnecessary upgrades. The problem? They’re often based on assumptions, historic habits or outdated data. Travel and expense data analytics gives you the evidence to build policies that actually work in practice. 1. Budget control without blind spots Data highlights where money is being spent, and where it’s being wasted. You can see: Which teams or departments consistently exceed travel budgets How much last-minute bookings add to travel costs The difference between negotiated hotel/flight rates and what was actually booked Spend per project, region or client — not just per trip This allows finance teams to adjust policies based on real behaviour. For example: If 70% of flights are booked within seven days of travel, setting a 14-day advance purchase rule without support tools won’t work, and data proves it. Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo 2. Policy compliance you can actually enforce A policy only works if people follow it. Data shows where, how and why employees go off-policy. Common triggers include: Hotels not available at the agreed rate Flights with poor timings resulting in loss of working hours Travellers choosing loyalty points over cost-saving options With analytics, you can spot this early — and fix the reason, not just the symptom. Some organisations use this insight to build ‘flex zones’ in their policy, which allow reasonable exceptions when travellers can justify them. 3. Better duty of care decisions Duty of care isn’t only relating to an employees emergency contact. It’s knowing where your travellers are, how long they’ve been on the road and whether fatigue is impacting performance. With travel and expense data analytics, HR and travel teams can: Track employees in real-time using itinerary and booking data Flag high-risk destinations before a trip is approved Identify travellers who are flying too frequently or working back-to-back trips Prepare insurance or risk assessments ahead of time 4. Smarter supplier negotiations Travel policies often recommend specific airlines or hotels — but are they still giving you value? Data tells you: Which hotel chains are most frequently booked Average rate vs negotiated rate Where cancellations or service issues happen most often Which suppliers deliver the highest traveller satisfaction scores This puts you in a stronger position when renegotiating contracts, especially when backed with numbers instead of estimates. What data should you actually track? (Smart metrics for finance, HR and travel teams) It’s tempting to collect everything — flight bookings, hotel rates, taxi receipts, mileage, meal costs — then hope you’ll spot patterns later. But without focus, you’ll drown in data and struggle to turn it into action. With travel and expense data analytics, the key is choosing the metrics that tell the real story. According to..
