According to Deloitte’s 2024 survey* of travel managers, 73% expected their companies’ travel spend to increase in 2024. Not just this, there is a projected average gain of 14–15% year over year. This comes from startups and other businesses going global and in person meets and conferences gaining momentum since the pandemic.
Despite this expansion, almost 30% of corporate admins never use business travel booking systems. They are frequently choosing to use non-integrated channels or consumer travel websites instead. So, even though businesses are increasing their travel budgets the need of the hour is to do it in a smart way.
Corporate travel is as strategic as any another business decision and not just about moving an employee from one place to another. And just like all business rules, it is also about doing it cost-effectively and without bending the budget too much.
One travel itinerary can involve several means from flights booking and hotel reservation to managing ground transportation and visas. With the right corporate booking tools for travel and support, you can reduce corporate travel expenses significantly and make business travel cost efficient yet top notch.
Here are 6 proven strategies to make business travel cost-efficient and how CoTrav helps you put them into action effortlessly.
1. Optimize Flight Bookings with Corporate Fare Options
Flights can make up the largest portion of corporate travel budgets. A single last-minute flight booking can cost 40–50% more than a planned one. Companies that don’t use structured booking tools often pay inflated fares and face challenges when plans change unexpectedly.
What works best?
- Use corporate flight booking tools. They can provide pre-negotiated fares based on your requirements and plans.
- Opt for corporate travel booking platforms that offer flexibility so that last-minute changes can be accommodated on request.
But, why CoTrav?
- IATA-certified corporate travel booking platform, ensuring compliance and global standards.
- Zero cancellation fees* on select corporate fares for hassle-free changes.
- Access to all major domestic and international airlines from one centralized travel booking platform.
2. Save on Hotel Reservation with Smarter Inventory Access
Hotels are another major contributor to business travel costs. When employees book accommodations independently, companies lose out on negotiated rates, policy compliance, and bundle billing.
The smarter way is to use corporate booking tools for business travel with access to corporate hotel booking at discounted prices.
In such scenarios, partnering with CoTrav gives
- Access to 100K+ properties worldwide within their large network across. And this means easy corporate hotel bookings even at top business destinations.
- Partnerships with Treebo, FabHotels, and OYO so that the hospitality is always top notch.
- Corporate pricing for maximum value without compromising comfort.
Centralizing hotel bookings through CoTrav means no more reimbursement headaches, better predictability of costs, and an enhanced employee experience during every trip.
3. Control Ground Transport with a Trusted Corporate Cab Network
Cabs might seem like a small expense compared to flights and hotels, but unmanaged ground transport can be a whole nightmare due to safety concerns. Employees booking through consumer travel apps or travel agents in India means surge pricing, inconsistent quality, and safety risks. To manage this better, partner with providers offering corporate cab services with transparent pricing and GPS tracking for security.
Why CoTrav? It gives you
- 100K+ vehicle fleet across 500+ cities in India.
- A range of vehicle options based on the client designation and needs. From sedans, SUVs, and premium cars CoTrav has networks with key cab providers.
- GPS-enabled vehicles for real-time location monitoring.
- 24/7 support through relationship managers to handle last-minute changes or emergency requirements.
When all cab bookings flow through CoTrav you gain better visibility, control costs, and ensure your employees’ safety at all times.
4. Streamline Train & Bus Travel for Greater Savings
For intercity routes, trains and state-run buses can be a great travel option. They are often more economical but employees rarely choose these options because booking them manually is cumbersome.
The best way is to use a corporate booking tools for travel or corporate travel booking platform that integrates train and bus bookings into your company’s travel workflow for faster and easier reservations.
When you choose CoTrav you get
- PAN-India coverage for IRCTC train bookings and state-run buses.
- Instant ticket downloads and voucher generation for employee convenience.
- Built-in approval workflows. This ensures compliance throughout the travel process.
By making low-cost options as convenient as premium ones, CoTrav encourages cost-saving bookings that can be trusted.
5. Simplify International Travel with Visa & FRRO Assistance
Since businesses are going global, international travel is a huge part of the corporate travel budget. However, it does involve several processes and formalities. Managing visas, FRRO/FRO registration, and immigration formalities manually is time-consuming and risky. With the end-to-end support of a partner, the burden can be reduced and safety and seamlessness can be ensured.
Choose CoTrav for
- Assistance with visa applications, extensions, FRRO/FRO registration process in India, and any other compliance documentation as per travel needs.
- Secure document storage and real-time application tracking for full transparency.
- Dedicated relationship managers for round the clock support.
6. Dedicated Support
Business travel can come with midnight last minute cancellations, altered plans, and emergencies when you least expect them. That’s why 24/7 assistance is critical for any travel management system.
CoTrav offers you
- Dedicated Relationship Managers that understand your company’s preferences and policies.
- Round-the-clock support for any last-minute bulk or single bookings, cancellations, or any unwelcome travel disruptions during your trip.
Why CoTrav Is Your All-in-One Corporate Travel Solution
The strategies above deliver the best results when implemented through a single, centralized travel booking platform and that’s where CoTrav should be your go-to.
With CoTrav, you get:
Flights: IATA-certified travel booking platform with corporate fare options and zero cancellation fees*
Hotels: 100K+ global properties with negotiated rates for every budget.
Cabs: GPS-enabled fleet available in 500+ cities for complete safety and control.
Trains & Buses: Seamless corporate travel booking platform with instant ticket downloads.
Visa & FRRO Support: Full-service assistance for global employee mobility.
24/7 Support: Always-on helpdesk and dedicated managers for solutions at any hour of the day.
Businesses using CoTrav report up to 30% savings on corporate travel costs.
If you want cost control, compliance, and convenience, now is the time to switch to a smarter corporate booking tools for travel to get better solution. Book a demo with CoTrav and discover how one centralized travel booking platform can simplify bookings, cut costs, and deliver a better experience for your employees.
FAQs
What is a corporate booking tool for travel?
A corporate booking tool is a centralised platform where businesses can manage all aspects of employee travel—flights, hotels, cabs, trains, visas and more—in one place. Unlike consumer travel websites or corporate travel agents, it helps enforce company policies, track expenses and reduce last minute costs.
CoTrav is one such all-in-one corporate travel booking tool trusted by CFOs, HR teams and Admins for seamless, compliant and cost effective travel management.
What is a corporate travel booking platform and how is it different from consumer travel booking sites?
A corporate travel booking platform is built to support business needs—travel policies, approval workflows, bulk invoicing, cost centers and compliance. Unlike consumer travel booking apps, platforms like CoTrav offer full control, support and automation—tailored for admin, HR and finance teams.How does CoTrav simplify corporate hotel bookings?
Admins and employees can access 100K+ hotels globally including Treebo, OYO and FabHotels—at corporate rates. The platform also manages bundled billing, policy compliance and preferred vendor selection.
Why should companies switch from traditional corporate travel agents to a corporate travel booking platform?
Traditional corporate travel agents lack real-time transparency, centralised control and digital workflows. A corporate travel booking platform like CoTrav lets you book, track, modify and report—all in one dashboard—with 24/7 support and zero cancellation fees on select fares.
- Better visibility.
- Faster approvals.
- Real savings.
How do corporate flight booking tools save money?
The corporate flight booking tools offer corporate fares, pre-negotiated deals and flexible cancellation policies. CoTrav for instance partners with major airlines and offers zero cancellation fees on select flights and helps companies save up to 30% on air travel.
Which is the best travel management company in India for corporate travel?
CoTrav is a tech-first corporate travel management company in India. Unlike traditional travel agencies, it integrates flights, hotels, cabs, visas and train/bus travel into a single digital interface—with data driven insights, cost control and dedicated support teams.
Is CoTrav suitable for last minute or emergency business travel bookings?
Yes. CoTrav is built to handle last minute and bulk corporate bookings. With dedicated relationship managers and 24×7 support, even urgent travel needs—be it flights, hotels or cabs—can be handled swiftly and cost effectively.
What to look for in a business travel booking system?
- Centralised dashboard
- Approval workflows
- Corporate fares (flights & hotels)
- Multi-modal booking (cabs, trains, buses)
- Visa & compliance support
- Cost control insights
- 24/7 support
CoTrav has all of the above and more.
