Corporate travel is where you can earn a bigger piece of the travel business pie.

Corporate travel is the place to be to make a bigger piece of the travel industry pie.

Even though the leisure industry makes up a huge amount of the travel market, the corporate area is the is the way to make BIG profits.

Despite the up and downs of the economy and the cutting of some companies travel spending,the corporate area continues to stand strong.

According to the National Business Travel Association's Business Travel Overview and Cost forecast indicates,*"Even though corporate managers will continue to try and contain costs and push for value for the companies they work for,nearly 68 percent expect their company's traveling executives to take more business trips, and nearly 46 percent think their company's will send a greater number of people out on the road. In addition, nearly 38 percent anticipate that travel management company(TMC)contracts will open for bid in the near future as a way to trim costs." (*Entrepreneur.com)

The ways to get into the corporate travel field.

Because of the unsettled nature of the corporate travel industry, a more experienced knowledgeable person to step in during the peaks.

As a contractor, there is a possibility that you may be on call for multiple travel departments. Give respect to your customers by informing them if you are working for others. You have the possibility to work onsite or in your home office.

As an independent contractor with a TMC.

What is the big difference between the two?

Bigger accounts!

You may have the opportunity because TMC's usually have a larger base of customers.

That would mean a larger piece of the pie after splitting with the house.

Once again you may have the choice of working onsite or at home.

As a homebased independent contractor.

You may have to go cold calling for customers at the very beginning of your business.

Cold calling can be frustrating.

(A 2 out of 10 success rate is looked on as good but in reality you will probaly have a lower rate of success(or maybe not).

The thing is not to take rejection seriously and keep marching on(which may not be easy.)

What are your responsibilities?

On top of booking airline tickets(and attaching a service fee so as to offset the zero commission given for airfare tickets)and performing the other functions of a travel agent,corporate travel agents may also:

1) Find last minute deals for last minute bookings.

2) Assist with passports and visas.

3)Coordinate airport transportation.

4)Research destinations for company fact-finding missions.

5)Take care of executives special request.

6)Preparing and making arrangements for company to hold or attend conventions or conferences.

7)Provide meeting and group planning services.

8)Provides custom travel management and expense reports to help companies keep travel costs under control.

Because of the nature of the corporate business, a lot of these services may be asked for with very little notice.

Look at this being an opportunity to charge higher fees, adding extra for expediated service(Use your judgement).

Unless your customer always uses the rushes feature, you may not want to charge these fees to them if they give you consistent business.

Who are your customers?

The larger companies with plenty of workers who are on the road, will most likely be open to the idea of contracting out their travel nedds.

customers like:

2)Corporate travel departments that need help.

3)Travel management companies that need ongoing help.

4)High level execs who travel a lot and need a personal travel service assistant to take care of their arrangements.

5)Entertainments, musicians,bands and pro athletes.

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