Travel Buyer’s Think Tank

Changes are in the wind for TMCs putting many buyers on the hunt for new TMC relationships. The Think Tank offers wise counsel on the TMC new world order.

For buyers, OBT choices are a Goldilocks conundrum: Is any one ‘just right’?

NDC was intended to modernize airline marketing and give travelers more choice. But in corporate travel, changing things can get messy, as our Think Tank buyers well know.

Why artificial intelligence will redefine the future of managed travel

Today’s stark generational differences make headlines, but our Think Tank members find in the world of business travel more that binds us together than separates us.

Are today’s TMCs up to the challenges of modern corporate travel?

As the buyers on the Think Tank see it, you have to know what your travelers need to succeed, and they have to trust you to have their backs.

Experience and innovation in travel and meetings management is not an either/or – it’s a both/and

For our Think Tank travel buyers, getting a handle on the impact of dynamic hotel rates – with all their volatility and ambiguity – is more elusive than ever.

Sometimes great insights come covered in powdered sugar

As Think Tank members look forward to more predictable sailing in 2025, the challenges of the coming year include transformative technologies and groundbreaking trends.

The NDC wave is cresting – which side of history will you be on?

Some travel managers may be wary of frequent traveler programs. But as our Buyers Think Tank members note, loyalty can work both ways.

The rise and struggles of small to midsize travel programs

Global travel programs need a TMC partner that offers global reach. But our Buyers Think Tank members agree, in the world of TMC services, global is as global does.

Having a mentor – and being one – can lead to deeper bonds and a stronger business travel industry

Members of our Buyers Think Tank see AI as a hot topic, not just for its future possibilities, but for what it means to travel programs – and to travelers – today.

More opportunities for industry gatherings could make for a stronger business travel community

When it comes to omnichannel, members of the Think Tank are what you might call “omni-opinionated,” since they hold many different viewpoints on distribution of content.

Manage your meetings, save your bottom line

Traveler feedback can yield insights that enhance travel ROI. Think Tank members share strategies for – and frustrations with – gathering meaningful traveler input.

Successful travel provider partnerships are as much about the people as the org charts

For our Think Tank members, managing global travel in the midst of uncertainty merges a wider world view with a focus on both corporate goals and the individual traveler.

With NDC, GDS, Direct Connect and more, life is getting complicated for travel programs

In these tumultuous times, travel managers need to hone their change management skills to a finer point than ever.

Is artificial intelligence the linchpin for managed travel?

Loyalty programs have evolved into multi-headed hydras that can factor heavily in the decisions corporate travelers make about their managed travel programs.

Four key elements can elevate your meetings, spelling success for attendees and stakeholders alike

When NDC was first introduced, the question, “What is it?” As the answer takes shape, corporate travel programs face rocky relationships with their airline partners.

In the world of buyer-supplier relationships, it pays to remember, love means never having to say you’re sorry.

With the rebound in corporate travel, our Think Tank members ponder the good, the bad and the ugly of their organizations’ return to the road.

Sometimes, we need to rely on the wisdom of the ages – and a word from Tiny Toons – just to get by.

The question of getting travel metrics right begins with figuring out what the right travel metrics are.

Things may be different in a post-pandemic world, but the travel genie is out of the bottle and the old magic is still there.

For travel buyers, getting their TMC connection back on track after the COVID years is a priority for the industry’s recovery.