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We’ve all come across the recipient of a great business travel itinerary on our travels: it’s usually the guy or gal gliding serenely through baggage collection and into a waiting taxi as you stand flustered in arrivals. But what goes into the perfect itinerary? And what can TMCs do to ensure their travellers return from business trips satisfied?

With 2017 quickly coming to a close, it’s natural to reflect on the last 12 months and begin to think about how the world of business travel management will change over the next year. No doubt, it’ll be closely tied to the evolution of travel technology and, , so we've rounded up the tech trends to watch for in 2018.

In previous blogs, we’ve covered the importance of the GDS to the travel industry and there can be no doubt it’s a vital spoke in the industry’s wheel. However, simply using a GDS is not the same as harnessing its full potential for your TMC. Here, we look at a few options for wringing the most out of your GDS and providing your travellers with the best possible experience.

Most travel managers are aware of the importance of traveller satisfaction by now. Satisfied business travellers are less likely to deviate from policy, and, according to research published last year by the GBTA: “Unsatisfied employees cost our workforces billions in lost productivity each year.” So far, so simple, but for travel managers “how” is often the hard part. Widespread traveller satisfaction can seem like the holy grail of travel management, always just beyond your grasp. So where do you start?

In recent years, you could be forgiven for thinking that the term ‘direct-booking’ strikes fear into the hearts of online travel agents everywhere. The tussle for dominance between hoteliers and OTAs has been presented as a fierce battle that's shaking the very core of the travel industry. However, a thorough examination of the facts reveals that it isn’t. Not even close. In fact, outside of the US at least, it’s actually more a playground spat than an epic war.