Choosing the best TMC partner for your business
Choosing a travel management company (TMC) is one of those decisions that may seem simple at first, but becomes much more important and complex as your business grows and travel activity becomes more frequent.
The right travel management company won’t just book flights and accommodation for your business. They’ll be an operational partner that supports your team, streamlines your processes, and helps you stay on top of travel costs, compliance and duty of care.
If you’re looking for the best travel management company in Australia to support your business’s unique travel needs, it’s less about finding the biggest company and more about finding the right fit for how your business actually operates.
Here’s what to look for before you sign anything:
- The best travel management company for your business will be ATAS accredited, have dedicated Australian-based travel consultants, and offer 24/7 support
- A TMC is not the same as a travel agent. A TMC manages your entire travel program beyond just booking flights and hotels. This includes policy development and optimisation, supplier negotiations, duty of care, reporting and emergency support
- Key questions to ask before committing to a TMC: How is after-hours support handled? Are fees fully disclosed upfront? Can their technology integrate with your systems?
- The best corporate travel agency for a 100-person business is often not the same one that suits a 5000-person enterprise.
Travel Agent vs. Travel Management Company: What’s the difference?
| Travel Agency | Travel Management Company (TMC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Books flights, hotels, transfers, tours | Manages the full travel program |
| Policy enforcement | None | Built into the booking workflow |
| Reporting & analytics | Basic or none | Detailed spend by supplier, segment traveller and cost centre, and compliance reporting |
| Budget management | No | Budget tracking, compliance monitoring and ongoing program optimisation |
| Duty of care support | Basic or none | Pre-trip risk assessments. Visibility of travellers, and ability to track and communicate with travelling employees in an emergency |
| After-hours support | Often unavailable or direct to supplier | 24/7, in-house (varies by provider) |
| Traveller tracking | No | Yes – real-time itinerary visibility |
| Cost negotiation | Standard rates | Negotiated corporate rates with suppliers, special inclusions and add-ons |
| Integration with HR/finance systems | No | Yes, in most cases |
Questions to ask when selecting the best travel management company for your business
1. Are they ATAS accredited?
ATAS, the AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme, is a national accreditation scheme that endorses travel agents that meet strict financial and customer service criteria. The scheme benchmarks applicants against a range of criteria, and those that meet the requirements receive the right to use the ‘ATAS – travel accredited’ branding.
For corporate buyers, ATAS accreditation is a baseline quality signal – not a guarantee of fit, but a filter. It tells you the TMC operates within a defined professional and ethical framework. Any top corporate travel agency operating in Australia should hold it.
2. Do they have dedicated, Australian-based travel consultants or a call centre?
This is where the real difference between a good and a great TMC becomes clear. Many providers route after-hours calls through offshore call centres where the person who answers has no knowledge of your account, your travellers or your policies.
A dedicated travel consultant who knows your travel policy can act immediately when something goes wrong. Someone reading your file for the first time at 2am cannot. When you’re evaluating the best corporate travel agency for your business, ask specifically: who answers the phone outside business hours, and do they know who we are?
3. Can they demonstrate influential supplier relationships?
The best travel management companies in Australia will have established travel partnerships with Qantas, Virgin Australia, and the major international carriers serving Australian routes. They will also work pro-actively with global hotel chains and regional accommodation providers to secure corporate rates and room allocations. These relationships translate into preferred rates, priority rebooking access during disruptions, and sometimes fares and rates that aren’t available through public booking channels.
Ask for specifics. Which carriers and hotel chains do they have a formal agreement with? What does that mean for your travel program in practice?
4. How do they support your duty of care obligations under Australian law?
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, your obligation to protect employees doesn’t pause when they leave the office. It applies to all work-related travel, domestic and international, from departure through to return.
A capable TMC should be able to demonstrate how they support your duty of care in practical terms: destination risk assessments before approval, real-time traveller tracking during the trip, and human-led crisis response when something goes wrong.
Travel insurance is separate; it covers the financial fallout after an incident. Duty of care is about prevention and response, and it needs to be built into your travel program from the start. Your TMC should be able to walk you through exactly how this works.
5. What does their after-hours support model look like?
Get specific. “24/7 support” can mean anything from a dedicated consultant who knows your account to an automated system that tells you to call back in the morning.
Ask: Who manages after hours travel support? Is there a direct number or just a general queue? What’s the average response time? Can they provide examples of after-hours crisis situations they’ve resolved? The answers will tell you more than any brochure.
6. How transparent are they about fees?
Fee structures in the corporate travel industry vary considerably – transaction fees, service fees, management fees and sometimes supplier-paid commissions that aren’t disclosed upfront. The best corporate travel agency partner will give you a clear, written breakdown of exactly what you’ll pay and when.
Watch for vague language around “competitive rates” or “value-added services.” Ask for a sample invoice from a comparable client. If they’re reluctant, that’s informative.
7. Can the technology integrate with your existing systems?
When assessing a TMC’s technology offering, key questions include whether their booking platform integrates with your current systems – HR, finance and expense tools – and whether the solutions are customisable for your business needs.
This matters operationally and financially. If your TMC’s platform doesn’t talk to your HR tool, you’re creating manual work for travel bookers and risk to the traveller experience. Ask for a demo, not just a features list.
8. Are they the right size for your business?
A TMC that primarily serves ASX-listed corporates will likely underservice a 50-person professional services firm. And a boutique agency without the resources for 24/7 crisis response isn’t a fit for a business with frequent international travel.
The best travel management company for your business is the one sized to give your account genuine attention and customised solutions that can be serviced at scale, not one that treats you like you’re too small to matter.
Find the right travel management partner for your business
Whether you’re reviewing your current TMC or simply exploring what better business travel could look like, it’s worth having the conversation.
Spencer Corporate Travel works with Australian businesses across industries to build travel programs that are structured, compliant and supported. Get in touch to talk through what that looks like for your organisation.
