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Dedicated corporate travel agency

CT Business Travel is a multi-award-winning independent Global Travel Management Company. We specialise in collaborating with SMEs to optimise their travel spend while seamlessly connecting businesses worldwide with our travel solutions. It’s what we do best.

As one of the largest independent business travel agents in the UK, our experience and size mean we are vast enough to manage the most complex requirements, yet small enough to provide a personalised service to businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Our dedication to duty of care, and the wellbeing of our clients and their employees, has cemented our status as a leading global corporate travel agency in the UK.

Let's Discuss Your Travel Management Needs

Find out how our knowledge, tools and expertise can help deliver a compelling travel management solution for your business - at a time or place (in-person or virtually) that suits you.

WHY CHOOSE CT BUSINESS TRAVEL?

Access to a wide range of travel services at the best global rates

Self-booking platform and bespoke technology built around your travel policy and workflow

Focused duty of care and traveller wellbeing, with traveller tracking and emergency support 24/7

Tailored data reporting to identify trends, spend, efficiencies and carbon emissions

Experienced travel consultants offering a high-touch, personable service and round-the-clock suppor

Ability to make greener travel choices and carbon report through our sustainability partnerships

Priority access to our dedicated Groups, Conferences & Events Department

WHAT WE DELIVER

With over 35 years of experience, we empower your business, delivering exceptional customer service and a travel programme that aligns with your policies and workflows.

As proud members of both Globalstar and Focus, we are part of a worldwide travel network with exceptional global buying power in excess of $13Bn. You get direct access to discounted rates with over 120 airlines, 35,000 hotels and the best value rail tickets and ancillary services too.  

Our proactive Account Management Team takes care of every aspect of your business travel, from strategic planning to carbon reporting, budget management, and beyond. With a wealth of expertise, we ensure your business travel is both seamless and cost-effective.

Common Corporate Travel Questions

Q1 - what is a business travel agent, q2 - what does a business travel agency do, q3 - what is a travel management company (tmc), 6 great reasons to choose us for your travel.

Your policies, your budget, your resources

Safe travellers, treated with care

Make well informed savings, based on data

Consolidation

All traveller data visible and accessible in one place

Bespoke technology for enforced policies and approvals

Best in market pricing

How to MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

Nobody brings people together like we do.

We're a multi  award-winning corporate travel, meetings and events management company.

We're all about helping businesses to connect by understanding your culture, people and customers. We provide exceptional service, support and cost control through unrivalled knowledge and innovative award-winning online booking technology for business travel, meetings and events.

When you need to travel and meet for business, we've got the services to put traveller safety, duty of care and wellbeing at the heart of your travel programme. With 24/7 support and risk management processes, we carve out great value, efficiencies and insights to help you buy, book, travel and meet in the safest and most sustainable way possible.   Sound like a good fit? Start working with a top UK business travel management agency. Or if you need a little more convincing, keep scrolling.

​From implementing an easy to use travel booking solution to building corporate travel policy and programmes, we're the providers you want by your side. Top business travel agents don't just get travellers from A to B, we get you there in the safest, most secure and sustainable way possible.

We're the unrivalled champion in meetings management. From large scale conference planning to taking a strategic approach to your meetings, the combined power of our award-winning meetings technology and venue finding experts provide industry leading service, safety and insight to our customers.

Accommodation.

Our database of suppliers offers a huge range of rates and accommodation to support any need or business travel budget. Through strategic supplier partnerships with apartments, large hotel groups and independent accommodation providers, we're able to offer value for money and cost control to customers.

​​​​Our award-winning event management team put delegate engagement, creativity and sustainability at the top of the agenda. Our industry best event planners are experts in designing  events that exceed business objectives. Whether it's in-person or virtual, we're the team you want on speed dial.

Experts in public sector business travel.

We've got a rich history of public sector travel management organisations means we understand the unique challenges public sector organisations face. The diverse mix of our customers and our proud place on two frameworks: Crown Commercial Service (CCS) RM6217 (Lot 1 & Lot 4) and Kent Procurement Services (KCS) enables a single source solution which can save time and costs on the entire procurement process. 

​You are knowledgeable and a breath of fresh air to work with.

Our transformational travel, meetings and events technology.

Our online booking systems, award-winning meetings management technology and event management software platforms are designed to find the best way to connect, while considering safety, wellbeing and the planet. We combine corporate travel booking systems and expert people in travel management to put the right tools at the fingertips of managers, delegates, travel bookers and travellers to offer exactly what they're looking for. So, if it's powerful travel booking technology you need, we're the travel management company for you.

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Business travel you can look forward to

We are fello, a premium quality, ruthlessly efficient travel management company .

The traveller is the most valuable asset of any business trip – if the traveller is happy, the travel manager and the organisation will be successful. That’s why we put travellers and their experience at the heart of everything we do.

At Fello we make every aspect of travel management run smoothly. No spiel, just action. No fluff, just great service. It’s what we do. 

Who we work with

Travel managers, travel bookers, services for planning, booking and travelling on business.

Whether you’re an individual traveller or part of a managed travel programme, we know it’s important for you to have quick and easy access to anything you need, whenever you need it. That’s why we’ve created a suite of products and services that can be tailored just for you.

• Dedicated business travel agent to help plan your itinerary
• Secure bookings by telephone, email or online for your entire itinerary
• Optimum schedule options
• Lowest prices for first, business and economy class flights
• Discounted business rates at hotels worldwide
• Car hire, rail travel, airport transfers, chauffeurs and taxi services
• Passport and visa service
• 24-hour journey monitoring, protecting you from risk and disruption
• Changes, cancellations and refunds
• Online check-in and seat selection
• Mobile app that helps you every step of the way
• Combined business and leisure travel
• Meetings and event venue find, booking and management

Planning to travel a lot?

If you or your company do a lot of travel, you could consider our managed travel services which have been specially created to help you get the most from your investment in business travel:

Dedicated business travel consultants

We’ll manage all of the above services for travellers in your company.

Corporate travel policy design and compliance

Traveller considered travel policy advice to get 100% compliance.

Risk management & travel safety

Keep your travellers safe with risk management & corporate travel safety.

Consolidated invoicing and company payment options

Consolidated invoicing and several payment options such as virtual cards and bill-back to suit your needs.

Travel spend reports and analysis

Track and analyse your business travel expenditure.

Savings advice & supplier deal negotiation

We’ll advise where you can save money and get you the best travel deals.

Our partners

We work with a carefully selected and reliable network of partners who care about the traveller as much as we do. They help us to make sure you receive the best – the best traveller experience, the best booking experience and the best results for your business. 

Need to get in touch?

We’re here to help….

What exactly can we offer you?

Hays Travel For Business understands that every client requires a tailored service, however ultimately the main objective is to save time, money and resource. Whatever your travel needs, Hays Travel For Business offer an extensive, diverse and cost effective service - 24/7, 365 days a year.

At Hays Travel For Business we give you the most competitive prices, quickly and efficiently. We can do this because our contacts with local, national and international airlines are second to none. Through creative ticketing and our extensive market leading technologies we will make sure to find you the very best fares.

We have access to the UK’s largest airfares database with over 10 million airfare combinations, including bespoke fares with the major airlines. We have the latest travel technology, sourcing global market-specific published fares, public fares and private fares with ease. This allows us to offer local fares and deals often only sold in the country of origin.

Combined with the expertise of our account consultants to be creative with fares and ticketing, we regularly save our corporate clients up to a remarkable 70% off airfares. Our fare offerings are always unbiased recommendations.

Our online rail booking and fulfilment system is flexible, easy to use, simple to install and delivers significant benefits for corporate clients in terms of cost centre and project code transaction cost attribution, travel policy compliance, on-line management information.

It’s fairly well understood that buying corporate travel in a policy-controlled environment will deliver significant financial benefits. In the rail sector, this not only translates into significant headlines savings on fares through an ability to buy online in advance of travel, it also ensures rigorous compliance with policies developed as part of a managed travel plan. It’s about understanding not just how much is being spent on rail journeys – and when and by whom…

However, if you would prefer, our experts in rail travel are on hand to help. You will receive the highest levels of service and the lowest fares possible. Whether you need a continental rail ticket or Eurostar booking, our experienced consultants will offer advice on everything from special seat reservations to a first-class executive package.

Utilising our strength and buying power, we are able to offer you negotiated hotel rates at over 25,000 properties worldwide at 3 to 5 star branded and independent hotels.

6,000 agents worldwide collectively book over 1.5 million room nights per year which allows us to source competitive rates and last-minute availability though a variety of hotel reservations and database systems. This guarantees our clients the best available rate on the day.

At Hays Travel For Business we search over 500,000 hotels worldwide and offer you unbiased transparent advice to suit every one of your travellers needs. We will proactively negotiate you the best rates at hotels that are the most convenient for your organisation, within your budget and to suit your company’s needs.

Journeys rarely end at the airport or railway station. You still need to get to the office, hotel or conference centre. Hiring a car, business taxi or using a chauffeur service can help get you and your clients to your destination on time and with as little fuss as possible. And it’s more affordable than you might think.

Business taxi’s and chauffeur services are often more convenient and comparable to alternative modes of transport. Volume ordering and corporate rates mean that we can offer you the best deals. We will arrange for advanced reservations and the vehicle can also be delivered directly to you.

Knowing that a suitable, reliable, competitively priced vehicle will be waiting for you brings peace of mind. Wouldn’t you rather spend time preparing for the meetings ahead than worrying about getting there?

Hays Travel For Business offers a comprehensive, quick and efficient passport and Visa service. Through our partner CIBT, the largest and most well-established service in the world, we offer customised and flexible solutions to meet the needs of organisations of all sizes – from the world’s largest corporations to single offices.

We can assist you in obtaining entry visas to over 200 countries and electronic visas like an Australian ETA or a US ESTA. We also provide UK passport renewal as well as other documents, such as letters of invitation, legislation and document translation. With Passports & Visas we have the experience and global network necessary to effectively reduce the time associated with obtaining travel documents and legislation.

Self booking tool

• A single, user-friendly place to book your trips quickly and easily.
• Instant price comparison on a single page. Only 3 clicks to make a booking.
• Agent-assisted booking integration.
• Advanced program management tools for better optimisation.
• An effective control of expenditure thanks to ‘ automatic approval process ‘. Many tools and parameter settings to configure travel policy.
• Optimise Your travel programme and generate substantial savings.
• Control Compliance with the travel and reimbursement policies and automate the approval workflows.
• Integrate Travel management processes securely & seamlessly.
• Centralise Access to a wealth of supplier offers.
• Monitor Performance of your travel spend efficiently.
• Granular configuration capabilities for greater flexibility and responsiveness to changes.
• A single sign on, user-friendly place to book your trips quickly and easily.
• Instant price comparison on a single page.
• Control Compliance and expenditure with travel policies and approval workflows.
• Integrate Travel management processes securely & seamlessly.
• Centralise Access to a wealth of supplier offers and bookinf channels

We provide you with the most comprehensive and best quality services available in today’s business travel. Whatever you request, we will produce a personalised program that will meet your specific requirements through a combination of the following services:

• Specialist Group department
• Marine travel, crew logistics, seaman fares
• Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (M.I.C.E)
• National and Worldwide Rail
• Meet & Greet Services
• Airport Services including parking, transfers, lounge access and assistance
• Business Taxis & Chauffeur Services
• Airline Corporate Reward Schemes
• Ferry & Eurostar reservations
• Aircraft Charter
• Travel Insurance
• Foreign currency, travellers cheques and cash passports
• Luxury Leisure & Holidays
• Serviced Apartments
• Regular travel updates, travel advisories and alerts

Don't just take our word for it, see what our clients are saying about us.

Your Business Travel Partner, Every Step of the Way

Highly-knowledgeable travel experts, equipped with industry-leading tools.

The perfect blend of talent & technology.

Enjoy Meon Service

At Meon Valley Travel, understanding your goals is our priority. We forge enduring partnerships by consistently exceeding expectations. Complacency is not in our vocabulary; we persistently go the extra mile, ceaselessly delivering exceptional value to your business.

Transform Your Travel

Reduce costs and provide your travellers with the latest online booking tools. Manage travel policies, traveller safety, and carbon emissions with ease.

The Passport to Travel Management Success

For Managing Directors

Save time, stay in control, achieve policy compliance, and track travel data.

For Finance Directors

Smart savings, streamlined invoices, effortless reporting.

For Executive Assistants

Simplified travel, reporting, savings, and sustainability.

UK & Ireland's Top Business Travel Agency

We are delighted to be named Top Business Travel Agency in UK & Ireland at the TTG Media Top 50 Travel Agency Awards 2023.

Thank you for the support of our suppliers, clients, and colleagues. It’s an honour to serve and we treasure the opportunity to do what we love.

Free Sustainable Travel Policy Template

Looking to implement a sustainable travel policy? Don’t know where to start? Download our free sustainable travel policy template.

Fill out the form below to receive the Sustainable Travel Policy Template:

Watch our latest videos, business travel news.

Crafting an Inclusive Travel Policy

Going above and beyond

A Guide to the Best UK Airport Lounges

Get in contact.

Meon Valley Travel Ltd Meon House Petersfield Hampshire GU32 3JL

0116 264 5270

business travel

• Case Studies
• Corporate Travel
• Free Corporate Travel Policy Template
• Free Duty of Care Guide and Checklists
• Free Travel Spend Review
• Groups Travel
• Sustainable Business Travel​
• Holiday Offers
• Holiday Inspiration
• Petersfield Travel Agency
• Honeymoon Travel Agency
• Weddings Abroad
• Where & When To Go
• PFA Travel Club

Repatriations

• Repatriation Travel Management

Meon Valley Travel

• Meet The Team

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Talk to us about your travel needs.

Over 40 years of business travel experience at your service

Marine fares, welcome to wayte travel.

We combine unsurpassed expertise, years of experience and vast network of worldwide contacts to create a tailor-made solution for each of our clients.

Personal Service

Renowned for our excellent personal service, we constantly strive to deliver the best and most efficient travel management solution.

Travel Advice

Our ability to provide full and impartial travel advice means that our clients gain access to the widest range of travel services and the most up-to-date information.

Our first class account management means we take care of all your travel requirements, allowing you to take care of your business.

Our Services

We provide a full range of corporate travel services, including:

Best possible airfares – Economy, Premium Economy, Business & First Class travel

Ability to hold most flights without commitment

Lowest hotel and car rental rates

Monthly account facility for regular business clients

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The only search engine for business travel agencies and travel management companies across the UK.

The travel group.

29 Wheatfield Road, Houghton Conquest, Bedford MK45 3QF

Corporate Travel Management

Rex Building, 62 Queen Street EC4R 1EB

Skytrak Travel

Skytrak Travel Unit 4, 141-149 Staines Road, Hounslow, Middlesex TW3 3JB

TakeTwo Travel Solutions Limited

82 St Johns Street, London, EC1M 4JN

Pitmedden Road, Dyce, Aberdeen AB21 0DP

Travel Avenue

Travel Avenue Fairway Manchester M27 4JD

Gray Dawes Travel

Head Office: 27 Middleborough, The Octagon, Colchester, CO1 1TG

Corporate Travel Services

65 Limesdale Garden, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 5HY

Dawson & Sanderson Corporate Travel Services

19 Park View Whitley Bay NE26 2TP

Ventur, Millshaw, Leeds, LS11 8EG

Meon Valley Business Travel

Meon House, Meon Valley Travel, 32 High St, Petersfield GU32 3JL

Meridian Court, Stanier Way, Wyvern Business Park, Derby, DE21 6BF

Wings Travel Management

160 Falcon Road, London SW11 2LN United Kingdom

Uniglobe Gemini Travel

Elizabeth House. 56-60 London Road, Staines-Upon-Thames, TW18 4HF

Selective Travel Management

Murray's Exchange Lower Ground Floor 1 Linfield Road Belfast BT12 5DR

Saren Travel Group

68 Beauchamp Walk, Gorseinon, SA4 6AE

DialAFlight Corporate Travel

Sandpiper House, 39 Queen Elizabeth Street, London SE1 2BT

Beyond Business Travel

Scottish Provident Building 7 Donegall Sq West Belfast BT1 6JH

Global Travel Collection UK

101 St Martin's Lane, London, WC2 4AZ

Cresta Business Travel

32 Victoria Street, Altrincham, WA14 1ET

ACE Travel Management

118 Pall Mall St, St James London SW1Y 5EA

Conference Travel

SMT Colne House High Street

Elite Bookings UK Ltd

Lock Cottage, Queens Road, Wolverhampton, WV10 7DT

Hays Travel for Business

Gilbridge House, Keel Square, Sunderland, SR1 3HL

arrangeMY, Building 7, Berkeley Business Park, Wainwright Road, Worcester, WR4 9FA

Ealing Aurora, 71-75 Uxbridge Road, London, England, W5 5SL

West End Travel Ltd

4-6 Canfield Place NW6 3BT

Hermes Travel

Tzell UK Ltd, First Floor, 101 St Martin’s Lane, London, WC2N 4AZ

Harridge Business Travel

118 South Ealing Road, Ealing, London, W5 4QJ

Corporate Travel Management (CTM)

One Carter Lane

Thornton’s Travel

54 Baldwin Street

Phoenix Travel Ltd

Suite 16e, Manchester International Office Centre, 11 Styal Rd, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WB

Wayte Travel Management

CP House, 3rd Floor, 97-107 Uxbridge Road

Isleworth Travel Management

Sunvil House, Upper Square

QCTM – Quintessentially Corporate Travel Management

141 Moorgate

Total Management Travel

91 Peterborough Road

Travel and Transport Statesman

Senator House, 85 Queen Victoria St

Review Travel

117 Wilmslow Road

Your Travel Corporate

64 College Road

Onbusiness Corporate Travel Services

Brine Well House, Tower Hill, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire WR9 8BY

Click Travel

Click Travel, Alpha Tower, Suffolk Street, Queensway

House, Threshelfords Business Park, Inworth Road, Feering, Essex CO5 9SE

Fello, 2nd Floor, Paxton House, 26-30 Artillery Lane, London E1 7LS

7th Floor, 111 Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 2HY

Sterling Holidays

16 Kingston Close

Corporate Traveller

6th floor, CI Tower, St George's Square, New Malden, KT3 4TE.

Premier by Brightsun

14-16 Hanworth Road

Matrix Travel Management

Matrix House, 51, Billing Road

Matrix House, 10, Chamberlain Road, Aylesbury

Good Travel Management

Matthew Good House,, Bridgehead Business Park, Orchid Road

CT Business Travel

8 & 9 Orchard Business Centre, North Farm Road

Avocet Travel Management

34A High Street

Travel Inspirations Ltd

Glan y Coed

The Lux Travel Group

Suite 9, 2 Station Court, Townmead Road

253A Kilburn Lane, W10 4BQ

2 Eastbourne Terrace

Kanoo Travel Ltd

3 St Mary's Gate

34 Union Street, Birmingham, B2 4SR

Traveltrust Global

White Collar Factory, 1 Old Street Yard

53 Oxford Street, London, W1D 2EG

Global Travel Management

123-125 Goldsworth Road

Crystal Corporate Travel Management

40-42 Riding House Street

Lupus Travel Management

No 1 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1NU United Kingdom

Travel Counsellors for Business

Venus, No.1 Old Park Lane, Trafford City, Manchester, M41 7HA

Applehouse Travel

32 Dover Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4NE

Capable Travel Limited

4 Old Bailey

Screen and Music Travel Limited

Colne House High Street

Business Travel Centre

International House

Linen Court 10 East Road

The Travel Professionals Ltd

Vine House, 41 Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey KT11 1JQ

Business Travel by STA Travel

St George's House, Manchester

Norad Travel Management

Suite 2 Oakfield Barn, Brows Farm Business Park, Farnham Road, Liss, GU33 6JG

• IATA/ABTA Licence
• Worldwide Airfares
• Worldwide Hotel Bookings
• UK & European Rail Tickets
• Car Hire Services
• 24 hour Emergency Services
• Accounting & Admin Support
• MI Reporting

What is a Travel Management Company? Full List of TMCs & Agencies in the UK Full List of TMCs & Agencies in London Business Travel Tenders What is Business Travel? Business Travel Policies Business Travel Expenses and Deductibles Travel Business Leads

Online Booking Tools No Contract Required Discounted Airfares & Hotel Rates Passport & Visa Services Small Business Travel Services Group Travel Services Chauffeur Services Hotel Bill Back Services BA Preferred Partner Dedicated Consultants

We have access to the widest choice of discounted airfares designed specifically for business travellers.

Accommodation

As part of the Advantage partnership, we have access to negotiated rates & exclusive discounts in over 30,000 hotels worldwide.

UK & European rail

Our optional online self-booking tool gives access to the cheapest rail fares available on the rail network.

Specifically negotiated rates with all major car hire companies will ensure you get the best price.

We are able to arrange visas & advise of all the correct documentation required before you travel.

Airport hotels / parking

Airport hotel stays & car parking is available for us to pre-book at all UK airports.

Why use us?

When in search for your next business trip, before you click that confirm button, why not give your local travel agent a try!

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Corporate travel just got better.

Imagine a world of travel management where tech and people work collectively. Where you can look, book and report, all in one platform. 

Your business travel matters. Make it count.

Book a demo     Watch Video

Helping companies travel the globe simpler, faster, easier. 

Meet Melon.

A travel management platform that makes business travel a breeze.

Melon is everything you need to manage all the pieces of your business travel programme, quickly, and easier than ever.

• Ultra-intuitive design
• 5-minute bookings
• On-point reporting for smarter decisions
• Access the best rates, no debates
• Live-chat with a travel consultant

Melon is the ultimate travel management solution that covers all your bases from booking, safety, reporting, policy, and expense.

Ready to see it in action?

book a demo

Our business? Getting you there.

More savings? Yes please.

Travel expertise? Anytime.

Latest tech? Always ahead.

The best fares and rates? Of course.

What our customers say about us, “corporate traveller provides a level of service that’s both thorough and anticipatory. we’re an incredibly fast-moving business and to have a partner as nimble as us managing our travel needs is invaluable.”, caroline roche, chief of staff @ bumble, “working with corporate traveller allows us to get key personnel there on time and most importantly, safely. it’s been seamless; they understand our business, conscious of costs and are an instrumental part of our operations.”, stephen cochrane @ rotech subsea ltd, “our booking fees have fallen and we’re now capturing more travel spend and have greater overall visibility, allowing us to really pinpoint where there are further savings to be made. ”, vicki mann, executive assistant @ new era.

Saving time or money on business travel? Choose both!

Small and medium-sized businesses like yours need to know exactly what you’re spending on business trips, where to get the best travel deals, and how to stay under budget. Partner with an expert who will help to keep your budget on track but will also find business travel savings along the way too. At Corporate Traveller, Melon and our expert consultants can help you save time and money.

START SAVING NOW

Industry expertise? We know the ins and outs.

We make knowing how your business travels our business. The result? A travel management solution that perfectly balances adaptability and reliability. Trust us to expertly guide your business travellers – while catering to your company’s unique needs. 

Whether it’s meetings, events, or industry- specific travel requirements (and all their quirks), consider it covered.

industry experts

Earth-friendly business travel

Ready for sustainable corporate travel powered by more than just talk ? Access a CO₂ reporting dashboard to track emissions on flights, hotels, and car hires.

Looking to empower your travellers to make greener choices when they travel? For us, it’s non-negotiable.

Our global digital platform, Melon, promotes sustainability awareness by showcasing options with clear emissions badges and trip carbon calculations.

GREENER TRAVEL

Are you a decision maker, travel booker or corporate traveller?

I make the big calls

I book the big trips

I hit the road

The right travel policy?

It's a game changer..

Let your corporate travel policy work for you. Think of it as your go-to playbook, guiding each trip, from important meetings to long-term projects.

Dive in with us, craft a policy that’s unique to your business, and transition from travel turbulence to clear, confident skies.

Need next-level travel solutions?

Talk to Corporate Traveller today; the travel management company for small and medium-sized organisations.

Worldwide Business Travel

Reliable advice, when you need it, professional business travel agents.

Award-winning Baldwins Business Travel Management (BBTM) is a business travel agency providing corporate travellers with an amazing customer experience, every time.

Our experienced corporate travel industry professionals get to know you and your company’s business travel requirements, to understand your travel priorities and deliver the experience you are looking for. Then we save you time, effort and money; delivering seamless itineraries and travel management tools that add confidence and reassurance to every business trip.

Our Services

Why book with bbtm.

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• About Egencia

Corporate Travel Management, Business Travel Services & Solutions

Modern corporate travel management for the fast-changing travel landscape

Manage risk. Support traveler wellbeing. Plan for the future. How can Egencia™ help you modernize your corporate travel program?

The only proven global B2B travel tech platform

Egencia is always working to deliver travelers, travel managers, and travel arrangers unrivaled choice, value, and experience, with the powerful backing of Amex GBT.

We’re in a league of our own

Our platform can be optimized for all types of users, in companies big or small.

Tech is in our DNA   We originated in the labs of global tech giants and now we are a part of the most valuable B2B travel solution in the world.

AI-driven insights   Our AI delivers custom user experiences that add value to your company’s travel program.

Suite of APIs   Amex GBT Egencia’s open API platform gives you the ability to build robust integrations that help you automate, connect and simplify your travel and expense management.

Unbeatable travel content We lead the industry with over 290 global airlines and 650,000 lodging partners.

Industry-first NDC capabilities Amex GBT Egencia is the first to offer new distribution capabilities to our clients. 

Amex GBT Egencia Preferred Rates  We offer the best value for business travel with access to special discounted air fares.

The unique content from Amex GBT Egencia provides unrivaled choice and value for air, hotel, car and rail.

Our technology-driven customer service and commitment to excellence puts Amex GBT Egencia on another level.

Industry leader in service Our platform and services are consistently rated above 95% satisfaction by customers.

Best-in-class traveler support We provide services to over 2 million travelers in over 60 countries.

Globally proven Amex GBT Egencia proudly supports over 9,000 companies of all sizes around the world.

Constant innovation We consistently deliver enhancements and innovation across our online and offline services.

Smartest shopping experience Our technology provides the smartest, quickest shopping experience to give the best routes and rates based on user preferences.

Proven optimization Our AI and machine learning delivers the best experience and enhancements for savings, traveler wellbeing and sustainability.

We lead the industry in innovation, with data insights from 100s of millions of transactions every year.

The world's business travel platform

• Companies of all sizes in more than 60 countries trust Amex GBT Egencia to modernize their corporate travel programs
• We deliver simple, consumer-like business travel that users love and fast, knowledgeable support for unexpected moments
• With a globally consistent platform and skilled travel program management, rest assured your travel program is optimized to manage risk while maximizing ROI

Ready to update your travel program?

If now is the time to redesign your corporate travel program to manage risk, support traveler wellbeing and monitor your travel spend, this toolkit can help.

Amex GBT Egencia helps you stay connected

14 million business trips were made with Amex GBT Egencia last year. As your travel management company, we’ll be with you every step of the way.

Managing travel risk

Travel risk management has never been more important. Find out how you can manage risk, deliver duty of care and make your business travelers feel secure.

• A comprehensive and quickly adaptable business travel policy is crucial. Use this free guide to help you create a travel policy that adapts to your needs.
• Make traveler wellbeing a priority. Inform, alert and assist them in real-time via the mobile app and online booking tool
• Reduce risk by improving travel policy compliance

Putting traveler wellbeing first

You want employees to feel fully supported from the time they book until they return home. Amex GBT Egencia travel experts are ready to assist.

• Learn how you can enhance your duty of care policies for travelers
• Travel booking is only one part of the equation. Traveler safety is the other. Use this pre-travel safety checklist as a guide
• Learn how Amex GBT Egencia simplifies hotel bookings for travelers .
• Put your travelers in the driver’s seat and take advantage of our fleet of 5 million car rental options worldwide

Savings and ROI

Even as the travel industry changes, businesses still need to make strategic decisions based on cost and ROI. Amex GBT Egencia can help you boost your bottom line.

• Gain insights, identify savings and optimize travel spend in real-time with Amex GBT Egencia Analytics Studio
• Find out how Umpqua Bank maximized their business travel ROI with Amex GBT Egencia
• Amex GBT Egencia travel services can help simplify expense management . Easily track travel expenses that reflect spending with personal or corporate credit cards
• 19 ways our travel management solutions can help you save time and money

Amex GBT Egencia empowers over 2 million business travelers to get the most out of their business travel. Shouldn’t you be one of them?

Amex GBT Egencia’s G2 Winter 2024 Awards

Are you considering a return to business travel.

Amex GBT Egencia partners with Festive Road to offer a permissible travel framework to evaluate an organization’s overall readiness to travel based on corporate, individual and government regulations.

Are you an Amex GBT Egencia travel customer?

I'm a business traveler, i manage travel, recommended for you.

Request a demo to see what Amex GBT Egencia travel management solutions can do for you.

Already a customer? Contact Amex GBT Egencia customer service .

Top 10 Business Travel Agencies UK 

Feb 26, 2024 | Travel Guide

Written by Emma Marais

February 26, 2024.

Outsourcing business travel management has gained much popularity over the years as businesses have become overwhelmed by the time-consuming tasks needed to organise business trips. Businesses are looking for business travel agencies that will help them save money, time and energy. 

Various business travel management solutions can achieve these results but finding the solution that works best for you and your business is important which can seem daunting and confusing. 

But don’t worry we have got it covered. In this article, we will cover the following:

1.  What is Business Travel management?

2. Types of Business Travel Management Solutions.

3. Advantages and Drawbacks of Each Solution.

4. Necessity of a Business Travel Management Company. 

5. 10 Best Business Travel Management Companies in the UK.

Business travel management solutions should make your business trips easier and not more complicated.

What is Business Travel management? 

Business travel management is the process of planning business trips. This process includes many different aspects in order to control, track, and report a company’s travel expenses. 

Business travel management can be implemented by an in-house travel manager or admin professional, or an external business travel agency.  

Types of Business Travel Management Solutions 

Booking for a business trip can be achieved through various solutions. Let’s look at the three main solutions businesses use. 

1. Consumer booking sites

Although they are not designed with business travel in mind many businesses use them and directly make bookings on accommodation or airline websites or use aggregator websites such as Expedia, Airbnb etc. 

2. Travel Management Agencies

Travel management agencies are external companies tasked with handling all business travel aspects for a business. They are industry experts who arrange travel for businesses of all sizes and needs. They cover all details of a business trip including booking flights, arranging accommodation, duty of care, travel support and many other services. Travel management companies find you the best deals and stick to your business’s travel policy.

3. Travel Management Software

Travel management software is a program where all travel arrangements can be handled. These programmes are used to book and manage travel arrangements online. They are normally handled by the business without any external agency. 

Advantages and Drawbacks of Each Solution.

Advantages:  

-Bookings can be made at any time of the day.

-Don’t have to waste time on phone calls to make bookings.

-Can access real-time availability of flights and accommodation. 

-Less human errors. 

-Need to compare many websites to find the best prices.

-Have hidden costs like having to pay fees for cancellations or changes.

-Time-consuming and slow process of sending emails back and forth to make a booking. 

-Upfront payments needed.

-No travel support is provided when issues on your trip arise.

-Complicated manual process for reimbursements and expense tracking.

-Very difficult to ensure travel policy is being stuck to.

2. Travel Management Agencies 

-Saves you money as travel management companies can negotiate better prices for flights and hotels. Making your overall trip more cost-effective. 

-Experts in the industry, meaning they can offer advice, optimise travel itineraries, avoid common mistakes and facilitate productive travel.

-They are available 24/7 to help and support travellers, making assistance available at any time, this is very important for emergencies or unexpected changes.

-They save businesses valuable time by handling all aspects of planning a business trip.

-They ensure all travel is in line with company policies. This allows consistency and control. 

-They make the process of booking a business trip smoother and quicker.

-Provide duty of care allowing you and your travellers peace of mind.

-Gather data for you to make more data-driven decisions when it comes to your business trips. 

-Human interaction allows for a more personal relationship and ensures more personalized trips for travellers. 

-Can be a long process of phone calls and emails to sort out travel requirements for your trip. 

-Have to pay a service fee on top of the booking costs.

-They are technology-dependent, which can cause various issues.

-You have to find a good reliable travel management agency you can trust. 

-Can be difficult to make changes last minute. 

Advantages:

-Instant access for your business to create and change travel plans, which is available 24/7 and not just during working hours. 

-Better deals can be accessed due to software being able to aggregate huge amounts of data quickly. 

-Reduces errors significantly. 

-Gives employees a self-booking option.

-Impractical user experience that travellers don’t like. 

– Difficult to get offshore customer service, which is a huge frustration for travellers. 

-No human support in times of emergencies or unforeseen changes. 

-Can be very complicated and confusing with too many features.

-Unable to control travel when travellers don’t use the tool. 

-Don’t have cheaper options for flights and accommodation available. 

-Impossible to ensure company policy is being stuck to. 

-Data and internet dependent. To access your travel plans, bookings, and itineraries a stable internet connection is needed. 

Necessity of a Business Travel Management Company.

Booking, planning and organizing business trips are stressful and not always a smooth process. Having a Travel management company handling your business travels is a necessity for all businesses. Travel management companies come with many benefits that allow you to reach your business travel aims. These companies help you reduce costs, allow better time management, create efficiency, and reduce your stress when it comes to business travel. They find the solutions that work best for you and your budget. 

Having a business travel management company guiding you through your business travel journey is important. They are experts in the industry and take time to clearly understand what you need from your business travels. They are also there to give you advice and make sure that the business travel journey is as smooth and stress-free as possible.  

10 Best Business Travel Agencies UK

Agitto has been in the business travel industry for many years. They are experts at connecting people and specialise in UK travel, meetings and events. They have created a team full of creative minds, innovators and problem-solvers. They take time to understand your culture, people and customers to fulfil your business travel needs effectively. They hold strongly onto their values and ensure these are visible throughout their business. They are also committed to being a responsible business and exhibit this through various avenues like carbon offset, charity and more. 

Fello makes sure to make every step of business travel as smooth and stress-free as possible. They work hard to provide a better kind of journey as they understand how important the traveller is to a business. They make sure to be by your side through it all and guarantee an exceptional experience every time. They have an experienced team that is committed and empathetic problem solvers. They work with you to develop travel programmes that are best for you. Fello offers personalised service 24/7 and puts the traveller experience first. 

3. The Travel Group

The Travel Group offer business travel management solutions that are built on putting your needs and satisfaction first. They are a complete travel solution that manages all aspects of business travel like vehicle leasing, VIP services, visas, insurance, lodging and more. They provide you with a dedicated travel expert who is available 24/7 to assist you with anything from last-minute changes to lost passports. Their travel experts are some of the finest in the industry with much experience. 

The Travel Group puts high value on honesty, innovation, and hard work as well as other values that represent what is important to them as an organisation. They offer business travel management that is fully customized as they understand every client is different and needs their own solution. They guarantee reduced travel costs and have access to negotiated rates allowing your business travels to be more cost-effective. 

4. Corporate Traveller 

Corporate Traveller has been in the industry for the last 30 years. They provide simpler bookings, unified systems, better user experience and much more. They offer you a dedicated travel consultant to make your travels easier. Corporate Traveller use a travel platform called Melon that can be used for bookings, safety, reporting, policy and expenses all in the palm of your hand. They also promote sustainable business travel and have the tools and team to help you create a greener travel policy. 

Corporate Travel Management offer a unique mixture of customer service, innovative technology and custom programme development allowing greater savings, improved efficiencies and high safety. They provide business travel that is more effective, reliable and enjoyable for all. They offer and design highly customised travel solutions based on your business’s specific needs. CTM create travel solutions for all travel styles and budgets. 

6. Hays travel 

Hays Travel is the largest independent travel agency in the UK which allows them access to negotiated rates with suppliers and airlines. They offer tailor-made company compliance and reporting for every individual business. Their staff are experienced and knowledgeable and can help save you time and money. Their services cover air, rail, hotels, car rentals, visas and more. Hays Travel understands that the main objective of business travel solutions is to save time, money and resources. 

ATPI is a leading group in the corporate travel industry. They offer travel and events solutions to businesses operating in a variety of specialised sectors. ATPI promises to deliver what matters to every single one of its customers. They have 24/7 support, technology that performs, travel compliance, and a team that shares your goals and strives to achieve them. They offer scalable solutions, local knowledge, personal touch, and sector-specific expertise. 

8. CT Business Travel

CT Business Travel offers all the services you would want and more for your business travel with over 30 years of experience. They are focused on delivering high-quality services and support to businesses and their travellers. They take pride in how they look after their clients and employees and their core ethos is providing outstanding service. They provide an inclusive travel programme that includes access to experienced travel consultants, personal service, 24/7 support, duty of care and dual IATA license in the UK and Europe. 

9. ACE Travel

ACE Travel partners their global capabilities with tailored business travel management to provide a comprehensive strategy built around you and your business. They offer pricing plans that work for your budget and your business goals. ACE Travel offer business travel management that is integrated with technology to streamline your business travel. They offer tailor-made travel programmes,24/7 support and advice as well as climate-conscious planning. 

  10. Good Travel

Good Travel aims to simplify your business travel through their expert specialists who care. They ensure to take care of your team so you can focus on what matters. Good Travel offers a human-led service backed by technology. They promise to save you time, focus on the traveller’s needs, increase productivity, cut down costs, reduce your risk and provide sustainable travel solutions. Their core values are people, planet and performance and these are at the heart of their operations and influence everything they do. 

Finding the right business travel management solution for your business is important. With everything that goes into business travel management outsourcing is highly beneficial and can save your business valuable time. The Travel Group offers business travel solutions of top quality that include many highly beneficial services. If you are looking for the best travel management company for your business travel needs book a free travel assessment with The Travel Group and let them show you what they can do for you.

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The 10 best online travel agencies in 2024

The top 10 online travel agencies (otas).

• Booking.com
• Lastminute.com

Best online travel agencies for business travel

1. travelperk.

Main offerings and features:

• Industry-leading travel inventory
• Flexible booking with FlexiPerk
• Safety alerts with TravelCare
• Integrated travel policy & approval flows
• Centralised invoicing
• Easy & real-time expense reports
• Carbon offsetting with GreenPerk
• 24/7 fast customer support in target 15s
• VAT reclaim
• Integration with 3rd party tools , such as expense management or HR software like Expensify and BambooHR

Save time and money on your business travel with TravelPerk

2. sap concur.

• Works with some of the biggest brands
• Easy tracking and reporting of expenses for expense reports
• Many connected apps, such as Uber and Airbnb for cars and hotels
• One solution for a variety of business travel spending

Click below to compare both platforms’ features and benefits

• Ample integrations
• Award-winning mobile app
• Employee-centric travel management

Click below for a more detailed comparison between both platforms:

Best online travel agencies for leisure travel, 1. booking.com.

• Intuitive booking tool and website
• Flight + Hotel booking for easily planning trips with no cross-referencing travel websites
• Simple car rental options and taxi hire
• Available in over 40 different languages and offers over half a million properties across 207 countries
• You can book experiences in your destination city to entertain you on your travels
• Genius rewards programme

• Simple interface and booking tool
• Deals when making more than one booking
• 38 different languages and offers a 24-hour, multilingual customer support service
• Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking
• Millions of reviews to help make your decision

3. Lastminute.com

• Filter hotels according to budgets, star ratings, guest ratings, board types, and more
• ATOL protection on flight + hotel bundles
• Flash sales for last-minute deals
• Payment plans to spread out the cost of travel
• Extra entertainment booking for your trips, like theatrical productions and day trips
• Gift cards for gifting travel

• Expedia rewards for hotels, cars, and more
• Experienced support
• Compare cruise lines
• Big savings when booking flights, hotels, and car rentals
• Operates in nearly 70 countries and in over 35 different languages
• Luxury travel options

• Book hotels, flights, cars, and bundles
• 24/7 support
• Lower prices on the app
• Great last-minute deals for spontaneous travel

6. Bookmundi

Best online travel agencies for flights

1. skyscanner.

• Super flexible booking filters
• Cheaper flights and hotels than other OTAs
• Price alerts for travel routes of interest
• Easy-to-use booking tool and UI
• Hundreds of location and currency options
• One-way, return, and multi-city travel options

2. Kiwi.com

• Simple flight booking tool
• Partnerships with Booking.com and Rentalcars.com
• Discover deals anywhere with the option to open up your search
• Easy-to-use app

How do online travel agencies work?

What are the advantages of booking through an online travel agency.

• Access to comparison tools
• Peer reviews to help you with your decisions
• Flexible cancellation policies
• All your travel in one place
• Local flights and deals

Rewards programmes

Comparison tools, peer reviews, flexible cancellation.

Flexiperk: Cancel anytime, anywhere. Get a minimum of 80% of your money back.

One account for all of your travel needs, a local approach to global travel, wrapping up.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

• See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on travelling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
• Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

Speak to a travel expert

Want to explore by yourself?

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• Business Travel Management
• Offset Carbon Footprint
• Flexible travel
• Travelperk Sustainability Policy
• Corporate Travel Resources
• For Travel Managers
• For Finance Teams
• For Travelers
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How to start a travel agency

Written and reviewed by:.

Our independent reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

There’s no point beating around the bush – the travel industry was one of the biggest losers of the coronavirus pandemic.

Various lockdowns forced the nation to stay indoors, while holidaymakers were banned from travelling abroad. According to ABTA, a trade association for tour operators and travel agents in the United Kingdom, this has led to nearly 100,000 job losses in the sector.

However, from the ashes rises new life for the tourism sector. Market analysts have stated that post-Covid, holidays and experiences will be one of the most sought-after activities for the average traveler.

As a small travel agency, you won’t be able to compete with the bigger giants in terms of price, but you’ll be able to offer a more bespoke customer experience – perfect for the more selective needs of the post-pandemic consumer.

But how do you set up a new business in an industry that’s still recovering?

Our experts have been providing guidance for small business owners throughout the turmoil of the past 18 months. We’re here to help. In the below guide, we’ll take you through the current rules and regulations for setting up a travel firm, as well as the highlights, the pain points, and the support that’s available.

So buckle up your seatbelts as we set course for travel agency startup success.

There’s a huge amount of planning that needs to go into launching a travel agency. Thankfully, one area which needn’t cause undue stress is creating a website to promote your business. Thanks to modern templates like the one below , you can create one of your own in under an hour.

At Startups.co.uk, we test and rate website builder tools, and we’ve identified Wix as one of the best you can choose for creating a business site. Wix even has a selection of  custom website templates designed specifically for travel agencies  – you simply drop your own company information, wording and preferred imagery into your chosen template. Better still, it’s completely  free to try  for yourself.

The steps toward starting a travel agency:

How has covid-19 affected the travel agency industry, the travel agency market: developing a niche or usp, costs to start a travel business, financing your travel agency, how much can i earn as a travel agent, travel agency trade associations, tips for travel agency success.

At Startups.co.uk, we’re here to help small UK businesses to get started, grow and succeed. We have practical resources for helping new businesses get off the ground – you can use the tool below to get started today.

What Does Your Business Need Help With?

Tourism and travel was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. As global borders closed, even the biggest airlines have lost millions as they struggled to cope with a near-complete loss of consumers and a lack of government support outside of the furlough scheme.

Indeed, according to ONS figures, monthly air passenger arrivals to the UK fell from almost 7 million in February 2020, to 112,300 in April 2020. That’s an unprecedented drop of 98.3%.

Thankfully, if you’re hoping to start a travel agency business  now , you’re jetting off at a much better point than the sector found itself at one year ago.

In the UK, coronavirus restrictions have lifted and air travel is once again permitted for tourism purposes. Plus, with the large number of government guidelines which are being constantly updated, many consumers are looking for a curated experience to help guide them through the challenges of PCR tests and vaccine passports.

How has COVID-19 changed holidaymakers’ behaviours?

Post-Covid, there will likely be a surge in travelling as people take advantage of airlines and train travel opening once again. Indeed, when the first announcement that lockdown restrictions would seen be lifted came, holiday bookings surged.

There are many reasons that the current demand could surpass previous tourism levels.

Psychologically, the coronavirus pandemic is leading many people to hunt for more experiences following 18 months of being stuck in one location, meaning many more consumers are getting itchy feet.

Remote working has also enabled people to travel much more than in previous years, as annual leave becomes more flexible and people can work from anywhere.

However, there are still concerns amongst some UK travelers that our soaring coronavirus cases might cause some countries to close their borders. This is making many people more wary about booking ahead.

Reassuring policies, such as refund protection, are therefore a good idea for new travel agencies.

Setting up as a travel agent shouldn’t be confused with being a tour operator.

The difference is that the former sells the holidays, while the latter organises them. It’s possible to set up as an independent tour operator but there is a lot of competition for big firms that have the buying power to keep prices lower. Travel agency ideas could include bespoke holidays on a particular theme or to a particular region – think about what will make you stand out.

Travel agencies are more about selling advice to your clients than holidays. Your customers want to be reassured about how they can hire a car, or what local customs they might need to adhere to.

Post-Covid, they’ll also want to know about whether they will need face masks, how long they need to self-isolate for. You should keep an eye on the gov.uk website for foreign travel and updates .

You don’t necessarily need to have experience of the industry. As with most things it may help, but the most important thing is to be prepared for a steep learning curve.

For added security, you may want to consider a travel agency franchise (examples include The Travel Franchise, The Global Travel Group and GoCruise).

It’s quite possible to start out as a travel agent from home with a desk, a laptop and a telephone line. You can start to build up a client base from among friends and family so it isn’t technically difficult to get started.

But you do need to think bigger than this if you want the business to survive. Competing on a local level or around the high street are both non-starters to a successful business. A truly local business won’t survive in such a changing market and the high street will bring you up against the big names. You need to open up to a national audience.

Look into an area that isn’t well served already by travel agents. If you can find no obvious reason for this and there is apparently a need for your business, set up there. Alternatively, start a business that isn’t office based and that provides something of a niche service.

Martin Jones started Freedom Direct on the back of Teletext rather than on the high street. Never intending to be a walk-in business, his main research was establishing links with the banks because he needed an £80,000 bond to start off. Links with a trade association will again help with things like this.

How much does it cost?

Premises:  If you’re starting from a secondary location rather than prime retail site, rent will obviously be reduced. As above, specialised travel services are more likely to work with you remotely so it matters less where you’re based. However, a remote – if cheaper – location may be a turn off when it comes to recruiting staff. This is not generally an industry where staff is highly paid but there is competition to recruit good people in the first place so additional perks may work well.

Staff:  Look for people who’ve worked in the industry before who’ll be attracted to the discounted holidays and offer them good working conditions. Roughly speaking, salaries are on a par with office work but as with all jobs you should expect to pay more for extra talents (such as languages) or experience.

Advertising:  Getting your name known is as important as in any new business. Local newspapers, yellow pages and Teletext are all good ways – although decent regular adverts aren’t cheap. Word of mouth is effective but be aware this isn’t an industry where repeat business necessarily follows. An established client base will pass on word of your excellent service to its friends but intense competition for price means people will always shop around – even if they end up coming back to you. You will have to constantly address and re-address service, quality and value for money and let people know about it.

Internet:  The buying public has grown used to shopping around online even though it doesn’t always want to buy online. Use the internet as an additional advertising or information tool to bring people in and answer basic questions. Then offer personal service and advice for their queries. That way both you and your potential clients save time and effort by having all information to hand when sorting out the details of the holiday. The web builders below are a great cost-saving option for any business that wants or needs a professional looking site.

Wix (web builder)

Squarespace (web builder MAIN)

To help itemise the costs needed for your travel agency business plan you may find it useful to download our free business plan template .

Setting up a travel agency takes money. You might be starting the business with the money you’ve saved; however, in many cases, people will raise capital to get started. Fortunately, there are a number of options available:

Startup loans – the Startup Loan company is a government backed scheme where you can borrow up to £25,000 with a fixed interest rate of 6% p.a.

Business loans – business loans are similar to a startup loan, except that they are not just for new businesses and don’t have the same caps.

The travel industry is commission-based so every time you sell a holiday for a tour operator they give you a percentage of the fee. This is where getting your name known will be important, though, as international tour operators aren’t going to offer an unknown business favourable rates. Commission varies a lot.

Striking an agreeable commission agreement will become easier once you are a member of a trade association – in fact they’re unlikely to look at you without. Travel agents don’t give out individual commission rates for obvious reasons but there is a general idea within the industry.

Minimum commissions start at around 10% but the high street names will be getting around 18%. So you’ll find it very difficult to compete if you are at the lower end of the scale.

Cash management is another issue of which you need to be aware. The customer will pay you a deposit on the holiday when they book it but the remaining amount won’t be paid until about eight weeks before date of departure. Only then will you receive your commission from the tour operator. However good cash management in the booking season of January and February will see you better off in the summer months.

Overall you need to be aware that being independent will not yield big money initially unless you can find a niche market that pays well. If you can find a consistent market for specialist holidays to far-flung destinations this may happen sooner.

The amount you earn really does depend on a simultaneous ability to sell to customers and to strike deals with the suppliers. So at the forefront is the need for excellent service to both of your customers: the holidaymakers and the tour operators.

Get the balance right and you might just have the ticket for success.

Trade associations are clearly important to the success of a travel business, if you want customer and industry confidence it seems you can’t really start up without one.

Global Travel Group  is specifically aimed at start up businesses, this association runs as a franchise to provide licensing and bonding to independent travel agencies. It provides support, IT booking system and national tour operator deals while allowing agencies to run as independent businesses under their own names.

• Membership costs start from £14,995 plus VAT, with lifetime and lease options available
• The agency owner is free to sell after three years with the membership passed on as an asset to the new owner
• Also Global Travel Group will provide booking system technology as a part of the fee
• for further information visit their  website .

ABTA  is the best known of the associations with the largest membership of agencies and tour operators. It will ensure you are taken very seriously from day one but as such its membership is exacting in its rules and not cheap. Start up companies may wish to progress to ABTA when they are more established.

• Business must demonstrate a minimum paid-up share capital or proprietor’s/partners capital of around £30,000, but this is flexible
• All members are required to provide a bond to reimburse clients in the event of the member’s financial failure
• Registration fee of £330 plus VAT to be submitted with application form
• And once offer of membership made, one off entrance of £1,200 plus VAT
• Plus additional annual subscription fee, from £817 per year, depending on the size of the business

Look after your staff:   Reduced rate holidays will prove a powerful incentive to lots of people wanting to work in the travel industry. But you need to attract and retain good people who are interested in the work and who can communicate with customers and represent you business well. Offer training and incentives and if you can, pay above average salaries. You’ll be rewarded with loyalty in a competitive industry.

Have a national focus:   Although you may be a local independent travel agent it doesn’t mean you should have a narrow local focus. You need to appeal to a national audience to ensure success because the market changes so fast. A national focus will mean tour operators will be keener to deal with you and therefore your holiday selection will be more extensive.

When to go for profit:   Don’t look for profit in the first couple of years but go all out to make your name known and get as much business as possible. Once this is achieved you’ll have increased bargaining power for your commission rate and access to a greater number of holidays – and hopefully will be able to start looking at profit and budgeting.

Useful contacts

• Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA)   www.abta.com
• Air Travel Organiser’s Licensing (ATOL)  www.atol.org.uk
• Global Travel Group  www.globaltravelgroup.com
• Travel Trust Association (TTA)  www.traveltrust.co.uk

Startups.co.uk is reader-supported. If you make a purchase through the links on our site, we may earn a commission from the retailers of the products we have reviewed. This helps Startups.co.uk to provide free reviews for our readers. It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews.

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A cash ISA offering an interest rate of 4.5% has been launched today by Melton Building Society .

The interest is paid annually on 31 March and can be added to the account, transferred to your bank account or transferred to an existing Melton savings account.

Here's what you need to know...

How do you open an account?

• You must be a UK resident and be aged 16; 
• Accounts can be opened with a minimum amount of £25 and the maximum that can be held in this account is £500,000.

Can you withdraw money?

Yes, you can withdraw money as long as you give the bank 180 days' notice in branch, by post or phone

Once you have done this, all or part of the investments in the ISA, including any interest earned, will be transferred to you.

You can also access your money without giving notice, but you will be charged 180 days' interest on the amount you withdraw. 

A lack of demand for new electric cars has led some brands to begin slashing prices. 

Even some of the UK's best-selling electric cars are thousands of pounds cheaper than a year ago, according to Auto Trader figures shared with The Times . 

Among the most heavily discounted vehicles are the Honda E, down 20% versus a year ago at £29,600, and the Peugeot E-2008, which has fallen in price by 15% to £30,000. 

The Vauxhall Corsa-e and Mokka-e are both being advertised at a 20% off sale price, while the MG ZS and MG5 are discounted by 15%. 

Meanwhile, Ford's flagship electric car, the Mustang Mach-E, has fallen in price by 14%. 

Ian Plummer, Auto Trader's commercial director, said lower prices are good news for car buyers and that it was "encouraging" to see more affordable electric cars on the market. 

He said the discounts had been "driven by a softening in consumer demand, coupled with the introduction of the zero-emissions vehicle mandate, which is putting pressure on manufacturers to comply with the new regulations or face heavy fines". 

The government's zero-emission vehicle ( ZEV ) mandate requirers manufacturers to produce a certain percentage of zero-emission cars and vans each year.

It started when comedian Peter Kay, who was supposed to be the first official act for the new Manchester Co-op Live on 23 April, had his performances rescheduled.

Rick Astley's performance on 20 April was a "test event" for the venue but ticket capacity was slashed just hours before his gig was due to begin.

Astley fans who had their tickets cancelled were instead offered seats to see US rock band The Black Keys play - but their show has also been affected.

And to add to the chaos, this week Olivia Rodrigo's concerts, scheduled for 3 and 4 May, were postponed.

Then, Take That announced they were moving their shows from the venue to the AO Arena in Manchester.

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie concert was also postponed just over an hour before the rapper was set to perform.

Today, Barry Manilow also said he had a "back-up plan" to move his Manchester performance from the beleaguered venue. 

The ongoing mayhem has left disgruntled concert-goers voicing their frustration, with some calling for travel and accommodation to be reimbursed and others calling the situation "embarrassing".

"There will be countless people who would've booked travel and hotels just for you to stitch them up because you couldn't meet assured deadlines," one person wrote on X.

Another person said the music venue should "at the very minimum" be "looking at refunding travel/hotel costs for people that can prove they paid for cancelled dates".

And another person asked: "How do I get a refund for parking? There's no info on your site or app."

Organisers at Co-op Live said the venue would be taking "a short pause to events" before welcoming members of the public to the arena from 14 May.

A Co-op Live statement said: "At this time, we do not expect further impact on our opening season. We are aware our actions have frustrated and angered ticketholders."

Tim Leiweke, chairman and chief executive of Oak View Group, which developed Co-op Live in partnership with the City Football Group, has said they cannot run any event until it is "absolutely safe to do so".

A Co-op Group spokesperson said: "As naming rights sponsor for Co-op Live we are disappointed with these further schedule changes.

"Co-op is a sponsor and does not own or run the venue, and we have made it clear to Oak View Group, who are responsible for the building, that the impact on ticketholders must be addressed as a priority."

An Itsu freezer product is being urgently recalled over fears it could contain plastic. 

Customers are being told not to eat Itsu's sizzling pork gyoza, which is sold at Asda and Sainsbury's.

The 240g packs with a best before date of 8 March 2025 are those affected by the recall.

A 200-year-old Edinburgh attraction is reopening this month after being closed for four years. 

The Nelson Monument is a 150ft tower overlooking the city, and was built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

It has been shut for essential works for years, but visitors will soon be able to climb its 143 steps again.

An official opening date has not yet been given.

HMRC's Welsh-language app is only being used by two in every 100 native speakers, according to a new report by The Telegraph .

A freedom of information request by the paper found that 13,831 Welsh speakers have used the app since its launch in June 2022.

That equates to 1.5% of the nearly 900,000 people who say they speak the language.

Jonathan Eida, researcher at the TaxPayers' Alliance pressure group, told the newspaper he thought the move was a "gimmick".

Gig ticket prices may be eye-wateringly high at the moment (just like everything else, let's face it) but a big sale next week will see tens of thousands of tickets at discounted prices. 

LiveNation is holding a sale for 24 hours from noon on Thursday until noon on Friday, with prices starting from £25. 

Artists who you can get discounted tickets to see include Doja Cat, Meghan Thee Stallion, Shania Twain, Becky Hill, Avril Lavigne, Eric Prydz, Giggs, Glass Animals, James Arthur, JLS, Jungle, Kaiser Chiefs, Limp Bizkit, Offset, McFly, Olly Murs, Paloma Faith, Placebo, Tom Jones, Tiesto and The Streets. 

You can find the full line-up of artists and venues with discounted tickets  on the LiveNation website here .

The company will also be holding promotions and competitions throughout next week. 

By James Sillars , business news reporter

Financial markets are strange beasts.

You would think that fewer new jobs being created in the United States would be a cause for concern.

Hardly. It is being positively celebrated.

Closely watched figures out at 1.30pm showed an easing in both jobs and wage growth by more than expected last month.

It has led to greater bets on the US Federal Reserve, the central bank, introducing its first interest rate cut in September.

A hot economy and stubborn inflation have dragged on market sentiment in recent weeks.

Investors desperately want to see cheaper borrowing costs.

In reaction, US stock market futures showed the S&P 500 would open more than 1% higher.

The FTSE 100 was also on track for another record close. It was trading 0.8% higher at 8,234.

That was despite a big weakening in the dollar.

The pound gained three-quarters of a cent to $1.26 versus the US currency after the jobs data dropped.

Tech giant Apple has recorded the biggest drop in iPhone sales since the early months of the COVID pandemic.

Sales for January to March were down 10% on the same period last year - something not seen since the 2020 iPhone model was delayed due to lockdown factory closures.

Overall, Apple earned $90.8bn (£72.4bn) in the latest quarter - down 4% from a year ago. It was the fifth consecutive three-month period that the company's revenue dipped from the previous year.

Apple's profit in the past quarter was $23.64bn (£18.85bn) - a 2% dip from a year ago.

It was good news, however, for the overall value of the company as its share price rose nearly 7% after investors had expected a bigger drop in sales.

You can read more here ...

The chair of HSBC has predicted the Bank of England will cut interest rates in June.

Speaking at HSBC's annual general meeting today, Mark Tucker said he expected the European Central Bank and Bank of England to cut rates next month, both lowering by 150 basis points by the end of 2025.

He also said he expected the US Federal Reserve to cut rates in September.

However, yesterday, one of the world's leading economic authorities, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, said interest rates, which are at a post-2008 era high of 5.25%, should stay there.

"The fiscal and monetary policy mix is adequately restrictive and should remain so until inflation returns durably to target," the OECD's economic outlook for 2024 said.

Mango plans to open 20 new stores this year as it continues to strengthen its UK presence.

The Spanish fashion retailer, which arrived in the UK in 1999, will be opening stores in several cities in Northern Ireland and central and southern England, as well as Scotland.

There are also plans to open four stores in London. 

Daniel Lopez, Mango director of expansion and franchising, told Retail Gazette the expansion "will consolidate the Mango brand" and help "strengthen it internationally".

The retailer recently unveiled a spring/summer collection in collaboration with Victoria Beckham.

Lidl has rushed to remove old references to so-called fake farm branding on its website after being questioned by MPs.

The retail chain told MPs yesterday that a picture of its "Strathvale farm chicken" was a "mistake" after telling them they did not use so-called fake farms.

Appearing in front of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on fairness in the food supply chain, Lidl GB's chief commercial officer Richard Bourns was questioned on the fairness of supermarkets using fake farms to market their food.

Mr Bourns, who was questioned by committee member Rosie Duffield on using "Strathvale farm" branding for meat products, replied: "We don't use Strathvale farms, we use Strathvale.

"We do not use farm brands, just to be absolutely clear."

Committee chairman Robert Goodwill, who had access to the internet, said: "Oh wait a minute, we have here a Strathvale farm Scottish large chicken, for £3.85. Gosh that's cheap.

"So there is on the website at least, a reference to Strathvale farm."

Mr Bourns replied: "If there is a reference to Strathvale farms on our website I'd want to take that away and correct it.

"It could be the case that our website is not up to date.

"We do not have an online offering but I can categorically tell you we do not have farms brands in our business, just to be absolutely clear."

After the committee hearing a Lidl spokesperson said: "Any historic web pages featuring old packaging that appear via a search engine are in the process of being removed to ensure complete accuracy."

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