Who is the Travel Manager?

The Travel Manager is a key figure within a company, responsible for the strategic and operational management of corporate travel. This role has evolved significantly in recent years, transitioning from a primarily administrative function to a more strategic one, directly impacting cost policies, sustainability, and corporate security.

According to a 2024 Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) report, 72% of Travel Managers are now involved in selecting travel service providers, and 60% work closely with financial departments to optimize costs.

What does a Travel Manager do?

The travel manager must be able to organize business trips while keeping track of the company’s expenses. The travel manager has to be able to organize business travel while keeping track of company expenses:

1. Organizing business travel
   
   

The main task of a travel manager is to organize business travel, making sure that the worker arrives at his destination and everything is prepared to welcome him on his trip.

This means that the travel manager, if he or she does not have a travel agency or a travel management platform of reference, must take care of booking (or supervising the worker, who will do so independently) the hotel, flight and any transportation and all the documentation that comes with it.

2. Travel policy

The travel manager has the task of drawing up the travel policy (we talk about it here), making sure it is followed and constantly updated.
It is therefore important to collect feedback from travelers to keep the travel policy continuously updated and ensure that it is followed without misunderstandings.

In addition to the travel policy, the travel manager is also responsible for the development of the risk plan (travel risk management policy, we talk about it here)

3. Traveler support

The travel manager’s duties also include dealing with any problems travelers may encounter, acting as an intermediary between the two parties.

4. Budget and report
   
   

The travel manager is in charge of managing expenses and travel organization, but also the search for agreements to have a better quality and price in services, whether with suppliers or travel agencies.

As far as expenses and reporting are concerned, his tasks also include calculating the ROI of all workers’ trips.

5. Bureaucracy
   
   

The travel manager is responsible for overseeing all business travel and checking that all necessary documents are in order legally and administratively.

6. Organize customer visits

The travel manager’s duties also include organizing dinners or any visits by clients.

What skills should a travel manager have?

The Travel Manager organizes business trips while monitoring company expenses. Let’s take a look at the main tasks of this role:

• Analytical abilities: Managing budgets, analyzing expense reports, and cost optimization.
• Digital expertise: Using travel management platforms and AI-driven tools.
• Negotiation skills: Interfacing with suppliers and securing optimal commercial agreements.
• Knowledge of travel regulations: Staying updated on international travel regulations, refund policies, and security measures.
• Sustainability and corporate responsibility: Implementing eco-friendly travel strategies.

The importance of technology in Travel Management

Technology has radically transformed business travel management in recent years. Travel Managers use digital tools to:

• Automate business trip management through integrated booking platforms;
• Track expenses in real-time using interactive dashboards;
• Analyze the environmental impact of corporate trips to reduce CO₂ emissions.

The Travel Manager and sustainability

Many companies are adopting greener travel measures, including:

• Prioritizing low-emission transportation (high-speed trains instead of short-haul flights).
• Prioritizing low-emission transportation (high-speed trains instead of short-haul flights);
• Reducing unnecessary business trips in favor of virtual meetings;

Difference between travel manager and mobility manager

Travel Managers organize business trips, while Mobility Managers focus on employees’ commutes between home and work.

A Mobility Manager, whether corporate or regional, develops commuting plans (PSCL) to reduce private vehicle use and manage scheduling to ease traffic congestion.

The Mobility Manager role was introduced in 1997 after the Kyoto Protocol to reduce emissions. Due to remote work expansion and traffic control needs, companies and public administrations with over 100 employees must now appoint a Mobility Manager (Decree of May 12, 2021).

Their duties include:

• Assessing employee mobility needs
• Analyzing transport options
• Developing sustainable commuting strategies

Training and the Future of the Travel Manager

Given the increasing complexity of this role, continuous training is essential. Organizations like AITMM (Italian Association of Travel and Mobility Managers) offer certifications, training, and networking opportunities for Travel Managers.
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According to the 2024 Business Travel Report, Travel Managers will take on an increasingly strategic role, collaborating with HR, Finance, and Sustainability teams to ensure effective and responsible travel management.

How can BizAway help your travel manager?

A travel management platform simplifies Travel Managers’ work and reduces company costs.

With BizAway, travelers can book independently because the travel policy is pre-configured, setting approval workflows, spending limits, and other rules.

This provides multiple advantages, including:

• Expense processing efficiency: Employees book directly using corporate credit cards, avoiding reimbursements except for additional costs (e.g., mileage). This significantly speeds up document collection and processing. With a 24/7 multilingual support service available for any need.

Additionally, BizAway partners with Riskline, ensuring real-time Travel Risk Management via a dynamic map showing traveler locations at any time.