A corporate travel agent provides travel advice, research, and booking services to business clients. Corporate travel agents assist corporate executives and employees in making business travel plans in accordance with corporate policies regarding travel, as well as ensuring that business travel is completed in a way that respects employee and business scheduling while also reducing costs. The corporate travel agent may work in house for a company or may be accessible to company personnel through a website or dedicated phone line. In addition to facilitating regular corporate travel, a corporate travel agent may also assist the company in organizing group travel to corporate team-building events or large meetings and conventions sponsored by a business.
Many workers are required to engage in business travel, some quite regularly. A corporate travel agent does the work of searching for airfares, hotels, and rental car companies and then booking travel for the employee. This not only prevents the employee from having to make travel arrangements while working, but the corporate travel agent can use his expertise in securing the best rates for the employee's travel. This helps prevent unintentional overspending by employees who may make more expensive travel arrangements for themselves due to a lack of information about their options. In situations where a company has extensive policies regarding employee travel, the work of a corporate travel agent can help prevent violations of this policy by ensuring that all travel arrangements meet corporate travel criteria.
In situations where a company needs to coordinate group travel to an off-site training venue, the travel agent may research and then book the necessary travel arrangements for all who will be attending the event. In some cases, the travel agent may also book travel for employees who have won travel as a company incentive. The agent may also keep detailed records