Research from BCD Travel shows most time is spent on managing TMC relationships

Travel buyers have a growing scope of responsibility, according to research from BCD Travel, which recently surveyed 187 buyers worldwide to explore their responsibilities, interactions with company stakeholders and industry changes impacting their jobs.

Among the findings:

• As travel managers navigate new challenges, their roles have expanded to include travel sourcing (68%) and payment and expense management (51%), with some taking on procurement or management tasks beyond travel.
• Their biggest time investments go into managing TMC relationships (53%), followed by working on travel program strategy and communicating with travelers (47% each), as well as reporting and managing suppliers (44% each). In recent years, priorities have shifted toward cost control, data analysis, industry changes (such as NDC) and technology.

• To measure program success and prove its value to the C-suite and other stakeholders, travel managers prioritize quantifying savings, aligning travel strategy with corporate objectives and sharing key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Travel managers collaborate the most with finance and procurement teams, with 58% engaging with procurement and 43% connecting with finance daily or weekly. Cross-departmental collaboration is on the rise, with 71% of travel teams involved in multi-departmental projects, reflecting an expanded, strategic role in companywide initiatives. In the past years, engagement with finance, sustainability and security teams has increased the most, aligning travel management with cost control, environmental responsibility and duty of care.
• Over two-thirds of travel teams report to procurement (39%), finance (19%) or HR (11%), underscoring the close alignment between travel management and corporate budgeting functions. A third have between four to six people in their travel team globally, while a quarter operate with more than 10 team members. Nearly half (46%) use the services of external consultants to help manage their travel programs, highlighting the need for outside experts.
• While 6 out of 10 travel managers feel they have the necessary tools to do their job, many face budget constraints, with 46% lacking budget for travel technology and services. Despite these challenges, travel managers are most satisfied with their authority level, stakeholder support and work-life balance, though career development remains an area for improvement.

Jorge Cruz, executive vice president of sales and marketing, said the survey reflects “just how essential travel managers are becoming to organizational success.” He said they are “managing complex stakeholder relationships, driving sustainability and making data-informed decisions that align with broader business goals.”

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