When travelers ignore travel policy and book outside approved channels, it erodes negotiated savings, clouds reporting, and increases duty-of-care risk. This is known as “leakage” in corporate travel, and left unchecked, it undermines the very controls a travel program is meant to enforce. The good news is leakage is fixable by relying on a strong travel management company. With the right mix of policy, technology, communication, and a trusted partner, you can capture more spend, improve compliance, and keep travelers safer.
Why leakage matters
Every dollar that flows outside your managed travel program is a dollar of negotiated savings, visibility, and traveler protection that disappears.
Off-channel bookings may seem harmless, but they create four major problems:
- Lost negotiated savings. Rates and concessions you negotiated with suppliers only apply when bookings flow through approved channels. Off-channel spend misses these benefits.
- Visibility gaps. If travel is not tracked, reporting is incomplete and risk exposure increases.
- Duty-of-care blind spots. Untracked travelers are harder to locate and support in an emergency.
- Policy erosion. If travelers repeatedly bypass the system with impunity, the program loses authority and traction.
Common causes of leakage
Understanding why travelers go off-policy helps you fix the root cause:
- Perceived or real friction in the approved booking tools (complex workflows, poor mobile experience).
- Faster consumer alternatives (e.g., booking via consumer sites or personal apps).
- Gaps in policy clarity or confusing approval processes.
- Last-minute changes or travel emergencies where travelers book quickly outside the program.
- Loyalty behavior — Are travelers prioritizing airline or hotel loyalty over corporate policy?
Four pragmatic ways to reduce leakage
- Make policy simple and visible
Clear rules and a one-page executive summary reduce guesswork. Outline approved channels, approval thresholds, and exceptions. Reinforce policy with brief reminders in booking confirmations and pre-trip emails. - Fix friction points in the booking experience
Simplify mobile booking, speed up approvals, and ensure preferred rates appear prominently. If booking in-policy is cumbersome, travelers will simply find alternatives. ADTRAV works with clients to configure preferred booking tools and integrations so policy-compliant options are the obvious choice. - Align incentives and communications
Training and positive reinforcement work better than punishments. Run quarterly reminders, short how-to videos, and leader-led messages that explain why compliance matters, both for budgets and traveler safety. Offer perks where practical, such as preferred seat selections or expedited service when bookings follow the policy. - Use data to find and fix leakage fast
Reconcile TMC bookings with corporate card data and travel spend reports. Identify frequent offenders, high-leakage markets, and travel types prone to off-channel booking. ADTRAV’s reporting tools help clients spot leakage trends and prioritize interventions.
Why partnership matters
Closing leakage is not a one-off project. It requires continuous monitoring and rapid fixes when traveler behavior or market dynamics change. ADTRAV provides hands-on account teams, booking-tool integration experience, and data visibility to give you tighter control and better outcomes. Our Service Nonstop model means real agents and program experts are available when you need them.
The bottom line
Leakage is rarely a mystery. It’s the predictable result of friction, perception, and convenience. Organizations that stop the drip do three things well: make policy easy to follow, make compliant booking faster than the alternatives, and use data to close the gaps. ADTRAV brings those capabilities together to protect travelers and the bottom line.
Ready to reclaim travel spend?
Contact ADTRAV for a practical roadmap to recover savings and strengthen your travel program.