Internal gaps are a big reason why corporate travel programs fail. From misalignment priorities to unclear policies to inconsistent booking behaviors, learn how to identify the issues and strengthen program performance.

Travel Managers are often juggling a variety of needs and demands. Leadership expects business trips to be profitable and productive in furthering organizational goals. Travelers want as seamless a business travel experience as possible. Meanwhile, Travel Managers are negotiating with external suppliers and attempting to leverage those relationships for the company’s benefit, too.

All of these moving pieces can, of course, sometimes result in business travel program challenges. Often, it’s easy to chalk those business travel program issues up to the organization’s current Travel Management Company (TMC) or a booking tool. However, more often than not, the root of the problem is internal misalignment.

Let’s take a look at why corporate travel programs fail. Then, learn how to recognize internal gaps that could prove problematic for your travel program in the future. Finally, we’ll discuss how to improve travel programs through internal changes.

Why Business Travel Programs Struggle: Key Takeaways

• Outdated travel policies, lack of policy training, leaked bookings and general policy non-compliance are some of the major issues behind why corporate travel programs fail.
• Travel Managers should provide proper training, make compliance as easy and convenient as possible and ensure travel programs meet modern needs.
• Ultimately, internal team members must own the program’s success. A TMC can provide support and expertise, but internal ownership is a necessity.

The Internal Gaps Behind Why Corporate Travel Programs Fail

When it comes to why corporate travel programs fail, there are a few travel program performance issues that can often be to blame.

The first is unclear or outdated travel policies. If Travelers are unsure of policies, or if policies do not reflect current program needs and boundaries, a Travel Manager cannot expect Travelers to remain compliant.

Along these lines, if the policy has not been fully, consistently and clearly communicated to Travelers, and travel policy training has not been provided, is non-compliance any surprise? And, for that matter, are the Travelers that are the most non-compliant, also leaders, setting a poor example?

This is not an internal issue that’s out of the ordinary, unfortunately. According to Center’s annual Expense Management Trends Survey from 2025, nearly 90% of the survey’s respondents reported that their organization does have a written travel policy. However, around half said that lack of awareness of the policy is a big problem, one that results in huge expense challenges.

Beyond just general, overall issues with business travel policy compliance, there’s the more specific issue of unmanaged bookings and leakage. Global Business Travel Association research from 2025 found that “travel programs continue to struggle with ‘leakage’ for bookings made outside of ‘managed’ channels like TMCs or OBTs. Most Travel Managers (67%) said their company’s air travel leakage increased (19%) or stayed the same (48%) over the past year. Hotel leakage is an even bigger challenge, with a total of 81% reporting that it grew (24%) or stayed the same (57%).”

Finally, if there are TMC relationship challenges, such as misalignment between internal teams and the TMC, that will likewise ultimately often lead to travel program failure. 

How These Gaps Impact Program Performance

The tangible impacts of these gaps and issues are quite glaring.

Operational friction leads to a greater need for Traveler and program support. Travelers are often less satisfied—even when they believe that bypassing policy makes their experience easier.

Without policy compliance, travel data is less than 100% accurate. That leads to issues with reporting and, then, decision-making.

Without that valuable data and compliance, Travel Managers end up with less leverage with suppliers. This leads to fewer cost savings and similar benefits when choosing vendors.

Plus, it all puts a strain on your professional relationship with your TMC.

How to Improve Travel Program Performance

Luckily, for any Travel Managers facing some of these internal gaps, your travel program is not doomed. With a few strategic steps, you can improve internal travel program performance and reverse the damage that’s been accumulating.

For example, simplify and modernize policies, and then improve communication and training surrounding those policies. Make it as easy and convenient as possible for Travelers to comply with the travel policy. Make it so that non-compliance doesn’t even cross their minds.

Throughout this process, make sure that you have policy buy-in from leadership. They should be the last team members to fail to meet program expectations.

Reduce leakage by employing better tools and broadening their adoption.

Finally, clarify roles and expectations between internal teams and your TMC, so that everyone’s aware of where they fit within the travel program.

The Role of the TMC in a Successful Program

Some Travel Managers or Executives may think that they can simply hand over the entirety of their travel program to a TMC, expecting strong results without internal ownership. However, a TMC can’t do it all. While the TMC may oversee booking, negotiate rates, and assist with duty of care, they ultimately do not decide or enforce your travel policy.

Within a truly successful travel program, the TMC provides external support and expertise, but the TMC does not take ownership of the travel program. Ensuring the program’s success is still up to internal team members, whether that be a dedicated Travel Manager or Executive. Ideally, organizational leadership and the TMC will be aligned so that strong outcomes are realized.

Even if an organization’s TMC relationship hasn’t been ideal in the past, with clear expectations and collaboration, performance can improve and you can see the many benefits that working with a TMC provides.

Fixing the Gaps That Cause Travel Programs to Fail

Travel programs typically decline due to small gaps that accumulate over time. Improving internal alignment can significantly strengthen compliance, Traveler experience and program results.

If you’re looking for a partner who supports both the internal and external sides of your travel program, JTB Business Travel helps companies simplify travel, improve compliance and support their Travel Managers. 

Northstar Travel Group is a JTB Corp company. JTB Business Travel may reference reporting or research published by Northstar; however, all commentary and recommendations in this article are independently developed.