Corporate travel consultants make travel plans for employees and group events, negotiate rates with hotels, arrange transportation, and provide cultural advice for international travel. They ensure seamless travel and intervene in case of any issues.
A corporate travel consultant works as a dedicated travel agent for large companies. He or she must research and make travel plans for individual employees or large group events such as business conventions. These consultants also provide cultural advice to employees traveling internationally to help them communicate effectively with foreigners.
Many large companies have multiple branches located all over the world; a corporate travel consultant contacts local hotels near branch offices and discusses corporate rates. In fact, the consultant can create a contract between the company and the hotel to ensure that future reservations are guaranteed under an agreed rate. In addition, he or she can discuss group rates if the hotel is used by several company employees at the same time, such as an annual corporate meeting.
Before recommending a hotel for a business contract, the corporate travel consultant typically visits the hotel for evaluation. Conference rooms and hotel rooms are usually inspected for overall comfort and quality to ensure they are a good fit for the corporation. The consultant may meet with hotel management to discuss any specific needs the corporation may have, such as reserving an entire floor of rooms for a large corporate meeting.
Transportation to and from the hotel, as well as during the trip, is normally arranged by the corporate travel consultant. Each city offers different types of transport; the consultant must research and choose the most reliable, safe and economical form of travel. Often, the corporate travel consultant will work with a specific car rental company and create an agreement. This contract will provide a reduced rate for employees traveling with the particular company.
Traveling involves some risks, such as missing a connecting flight due to airport delays. The corporate travel consultant will intervene on behalf of the traveling employee and arrange alternative travel arrangements; as a result, the employee will be professionally rerouted to another mode of transport so that important meetings are not cancelled.
In the case of international travel, the consultant should be well versed in specific local customs and legally required travel documents. Consultants must be aware of all passport and visa laws so that all traveling employees have a seamless journey between countries. Certain regions may have customs that most travelers are unaware of; the consultant should explain any offensive terms or hand gestures to traveling employees so that they are not misunderstood in a foreign region. For example, the “thumbs up” hand gesture may be seen as offensive in some countries.
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