Digital travel management: advantages, solutions, providers

What is (digital) travel management?

Firstly, what is (business) travel management?

Business travel management or travel management is a - usually standardised - process in the company that includes the control, tracking and reporting of travel-related expenses for a business trip. Travel management includes the business trip request, travel booking, resource management and the final travel expense report. Companies usually have a dedicated internal travel manager or office management employees who manage the individual steps of business trips within the company. Travel bookings can also be made by external partners such as business travel agencies.

The digital transformation is also making business travel more digital

Digitalisation and increasing automation are making everyday office life easier. This also applies to travel management. Digital travel management refers to the use of software solutions developed specifically for companies to optimise the entire process of business travel planning and management. These tools offer a variety of business functions, ranging from booking and managing trips to invoicing and analysing travel expenses.

A digital travel management tool enables companies to automate travel policies, consolidate travel bookings, integrate approval processes and store cost centres. It provides a central platform on which all travel data can be collected and managed. It also facilitates communication between travellers, travel managers and other relevant parties.

Advantages of digital travel management

Implementing a digital travel management solution offers a wide range of benefits for companies and employees. Here are some of the key benefits:

Simplified booking and management of business trips

A digital travel management tool allows travellers to make their own bookings and manage their own trips. This relieves the administrative burden and enables employees to actively participate in the planning of their trips. At the same time, the tool ensures that bookings are made in line with company guidelines and the travel budget.

Adherence to guidelines and compliance

One of the biggest challenges in travel management is compliance and controlling travel costs. A digital travel management tool makes it easier to enforce policies, as travel policies are automatically stored in the tool and taken into account when bookings are made. This ensures that most bookings are made within the travel budget and guidelines.

Flexibility and time savings

Digital business travel software offers travellers a high degree of flexibility when booking and managing their business trips. Rebookings and cancellations can be made simply and easily. In addition, employees save time as they can find all relevant information about their trips in one place and do not have to use multiple platforms or providers.

Transparency and reporting

A digital travel management tool enables companies to record and manage all travel data centrally. This gives both travellers and management access to all the necessary information at all times. In addition, travel costs and expenses can be easily tracked and reports can be created to analyse and optimise travel expenses.

Support and service

Most digital travel management tools offer a comprehensive customer service that is available to travellers in case of questions or problems. This service is often available around the clock and can help the traveller to solve problems or overcome challenges during the trip.

Functions of digital travel management tools

Digital travel management tools offer a variety of features to help companies plan, book and manage their business trips. Here are some of the key features that companies should look for when choosing a travel management tool:

Self-booking

A good travel management tool allows travellers to make their own bookings and manage their own trips. It should offer a user-friendly interface that allows employees to make bookings intuitively and easily.

Compliance and guidelines

An important function of a digital business travel tool is adherence to guidelines and compliance. The tool should be able to automatically take company guidelines into account and ensure that bookings are made in accordance with the guidelines.

Rebookings and cancellations

Flexibility is a crucial factor when booking and managing business trips. A good travel management tool allows travellers to change their plans easily and simply if necessary. Rebookings and cancellations should be quick and easy to carry out.

Large selection of travel options

A travel management tool should offer a wide range of travel options to meet travellers' needs. It should compare different providers, airlines and transport options and offer travellers a wide range of options.

Transparency and reporting

A good travel management tool enables companies to record and manage all travel data centrally. This means that both travellers and the administration have access to all relevant information at all times. In addition, comprehensive reporting functions should be available to analyse and optimise travel expenditure.

Support and service

Customer service is an important aspect when choosing a travel management tool. It should offer comprehensive support that is available to travellers in case of questions or problems. Customer service should be fast, reliable and available around the clock.

Digital travel management tools: software solutions for business travel

There is a wide range of digital travel management software on the market to help companies plan, book and manage their business trips. Below we present 20 software solutions that are suitable for companies of all sizes.

4 tools for booking and managing business trips

  • Airbnb for Work: An extra feature of the Airbnb booking platform. The business option is aimed at business travellers who attach great importance to a private living atmosphere during their stay; as is usual with Airbnb, the offer mainly includes holiday flats and private accommodation.
  • Flightfox: Works like a digital travel agency. Bookers can create their travel plans, view upcoming trips and download expense reports. The platform's travel experts take care of booking and processing.
  • Salestrip: Salestrip is a business travel software from Salesforce, a CRM tool popular in sales and consulting. With Salestrip, business trips can be tracked, managed and assigned to different customer accounts at CRM level.
  • TravelPerk: TravelPerk is a user-friendly platform for booking and managing business trips. It offers an intuitive user interface and extensive functions for travellers and travel managers.

10 software solutions that simplify travel expense management

  • Amadeus cytric Travel & Expense: Amadeus cytric Travel & Expense is a comprehensive travel management solution that supports companies in booking, managing and invoicing business trips.
  • Brex: Brex offers corporate credit cards with integrated expense management, easy tracking and management of expenses, attractive rewards and company-friendly credit limits.
  • Circula: With this software solution, companies can not only manage travel costs and expenses, but also employee benefits such as mobility budgets, meal allowances, internet allowances, recreational allowances or benefits in kind.
  • SAP Concur: The classic business travel software. Concur Solutions is a comprehensive travel management solution that supports companies in booking, managing and invoicing business trips.
  • Divvy: Divvy software can be used to create travel budget plans, monitor expenses in real time and authorise expenditure. Divvy also offers virtual credit cards and business cards that can be used to make, track and report on purchases.
  • Expensify: Expensify is the market leader in travel expense management. Employees can use the app to digitise all travel expenses by scanning receipts, submit them collectively and have them reimbursed automatically. Expensify also enables corporate credit cards, workflows and payroll integrations.
  • Expensya: The tool enables efficient expense management and control, automates accounting, digitises invoices and offers corporate credit cards.
  • Fyle: Fyle is an expense management software for fast and paperless reimbursements and a user-friendly system. Features include mileage tracking via AI, automated workflows, payroll integrations, one-click and real-time expense reporting, and compliance and credit card checking
  • Spendesk: Spendesk software is a complete solution that combines expense management, accounting, invoice management with corporate credit cards, reporting functions, approval processes and budget guidelines.
  • Yokoy: The expense tracking software Yokoy makes it easier to track, submit and reimburse travel expenses. The platform relies on artificial intelligence to automatically filter information and fill out forms.

Travel management software: travel management of the future

Digital travel management offers a wide range of benefits for companies and employees. By using travel management tools, companies can plan and manage their business trips more efficiently, save costs, ensure compliance and increase employee satisfaction. Choosing the right tool to support travel planning, booking and invoicing is crucial to the success of digital transformation in business travel management.


Companies can choose between complete travel management systems, booking software or pure travel expense management. The range of solutions is diverse and continues to grow, as does the number of accommodations and means of transportation. The entire travel planning process can therefore become quite complex. However, with the right travel management tool, employees are guided intuitively and easily through the individual steps of travel planning - and in the best case, they are supported by experts or smart technologies. This saves companies work, time and often unnecessary expenses.

If your company is not yet using a digital travel management tool, you should carefully examine the various options on the market and select the tool that best suits your company's needs and requirements. With the right travel management software, you can make business trips more efficient and successful.

Stefan Wendering
Stefan is a freelance writer and editor at NAVIT. Previously, he worked for startups and in the mobility cosmos. He is an expert in urban and sustainable mobility, employee benefits and new work. Besides blog content, he also creates marketing materials, taglines and content for websites and case studies.