Creating a travel programme that meets business and employee needs

A modern business travel programme is no longer just about booking flights and hotels. Done well, it can control costs, protect your people, support sustainability goals and drive better commercial outcomes. Done badly, it leads to overspend, traveller frustration and increased risk.

This guide is designed for organisations that want to create a corporate travel policy and programme that balances business priorities with employee wellbeing.

1. Clarify the purpose of travel

Start by agreeing why your people travel. This shapes every part of the travel programme. Key questions:

Which trips are critical for revenue, client relationships or project delivery?

When could virtual meetings replace travel without hurting outcomes?

How do you want employees to feel about business travel?

Typical objectives include:

Growing or protecting revenue

Building client relationships

Supporting collaboration in hybrid teams

Attracting and retaining talent with a fair, people‑centred approach

Define these objectives clearly and use them to guide the corporate travel policy.

2. Understand your traveller

A travel programme only works if it fits real traveller needs. Segment your travellers and map their experience.

Traveller segments

Senior leaders: fewer trips, often long‑haul, high‑impact meetings

Sales and client‑facing teams: frequent, time‑sensitive travel

Project teams: longer stays, on‑site delivery

Occasional travellers: need more guidance and support

Each group may need different levels of flexibility, cabin class and hotel standards.

Traveller journey

Look at the journey from the traveller’s point of view:

Before travel: Is the approval and booking process simple and quick?

During travel: Is the itinerary realistic and safe, with support in case of disruption?

After travel: Are expenses easy, and can travellers share feedback?

Building a traveller‑centric business travel programme improves compliance, satisfaction and productivity.

Set clear policy principles

Before diving into rules, agree a few simple principles. These might include:

Safety and duty of care come first

Travel must have a clear business purpose

Cost-conscious, not cost-cutting at any price

Sustainability is a key consideration

Policies are fair, transparent and inclusive

These principles help resolve grey areas and keep decision‑making consistent.

Shape the corporate travel policy

Translate your principles into practical rules that are easy to understand and follow. This could include things like:

When travellers can book economy, premium economy or business class

Hotel category or quality level

When rail is preferred over air for short‑haul journeys

Which trips require pre‑approval

When extra approvals are needed based on cost, route or traveller

Put duty of care, risk management and traveller wellbeing first

Duty of care is at the heart of responsible business travel management. A robust programme should:

Assess risk before travel, particularly for higher‑risk destinations

Offer clear escalation and approval routes for these trips

Enable traveller tracking so you know where people are in an emergency

Provide 24/7 support and clear communication channels

Give travellers concise guidance on safety, local laws and health considerations

Travel policies must be realistic so that employees feel safe and supported rather than forced into risky choices to save money.

From a wellbeing perspective, consider:

Limits on back‑to‑back trips and red‑eye flights

Recovery time after long‑haul or multi‑time‑zone travel

Upgrading to premium cabins on longer sectors

Choosing hotels designed for rest and focused work, not just the lowest rate

Recognising that travel outside normal hours affects work‑life balance

This is increasingly important for attracting and retaining talent, especially frequent travellers.

Build in sustainability

Sustainable business travel is now a core expectation from clients, employees and investors. Integrate sustainability throughout your travel programme by:

Measuring emissions from flights, hotels and ground transport

Favouring rail over air where practical

Choosing more direct routes and modern, efficient aircraft where possible

Encouraging fewer but more meaningful journeys by combining meetings

Using virtual meetings strategically to replace lower‑value trips

Make sustainability goals visible so travellers understand how their choices support the wider ESG strategy.

Choose the right travel management support

Even the best policy needs the right support behind it. Working with a dedicated Travel Counsellor gives you:

A single trusted expert who understands your company, culture and policy

Tailor‑made itineraries that balance cost, convenience and comfort

Proactive assistance when disruption occurs

Insightful reporting and feedback to help refine the travel programme over time

Create a balanced, people-centred travel programme with Travel Counsellors for Business

The most successful organisations treat business travel as a strategic enabler. They:

Define clear objectives for travel

Listen to their travellers and design with them in mind

Use a straightforward, fair corporate travel policy

Put safety, wellbeing and sustainability at the core

Partner with expert business travel management support

And that’s exactly what Travel Counsellors for Business is here to help you do. Contact your Travel Counsellor today to start shaping a business travel programme that truly works for your company and your people.