This is how frequent Business Travel affect the Travelers’ health

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Do certain segments of your employees travel extensively? These individuals, often the face of your company, may be at increased risk of a host of physical, behavioral, and mental health issues.

Medical Claims Reveal a High Concentration of these Health Issues in Frequent Travelers

Business travel planners frequently book plans for those away from their families tending to clients and customers, suppliers, and business conferences. However, those away 14 nights or more per month, the definition used in a World Bank study on extensive travel, reveal high concentrations of the following health issues.

  • DepressionThis is how frequent Business Travel affect the Travelers' health
  • Anxiety
  • Obesity
  • Lack of Physical Activity
  • Sleep Issues
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol Dependence
  • Poor Self-Rating of Health

The study results were interpreted as being the result of chronic stress and wear and tear subsequent to frequent business travel.

Can these Issues be Circumnavigated?

An essential component of business activity, corporate travel management solutions companies booked 500 million + business trips in 2016, contributing $547 billion to U.S. GDP. However, the potential health costs resulting from such extensive and frequent travel are beginning to register on the radar. Higher medical claims, lackluster productivity and performance, increased turnover and absenteeism, and short-term disability are taking a toll, prompting the International Well Building Institute (IWBI) to devote time to panel discussions on the implications of business travel and health. A shared responsibility of both the employee and employer, the best corporate travel companies know supporting a culture of health plays an integral role in preventing the potential pitfalls of frequent traveling.

Tips for Helping Employees Maintain Physical, Mental & Behavioral Health While Traveling:

  • Educate
    Help traveling employees to be prepared by providing education programs surrounding:

    • Healthy eating on the go.
      Including essential information on the high-calorie, saturated and total fat counts of restaurant foods compared to home cooked meals.
    • Essential items for healthy travel.
      Do your employees know the keys to packing for a healthy travel experience, including the items necessary for deftly dealing with illnesses and travel related health symptoms than can pop-up on the go?
  • Encourage Tracking & Accountability
    Help employees prevent the formation of bad health and behavioral habits, which repeated over the long run, can have a negative impact on health, encouraging positive health choices by providing reimbursement for:

    • Mobile apps.
      For tracking dietary intake.
    • Subscriptions.
      To services providing workout routines for those working with a limited space environment, such as hotel rooms.
    • National gym memberships.
      Book only accommodations that have gyms, or reimburse employees for memberships to national gym chains to encourage the physical activity necessary to thwart weight gain and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  • Help Employees Better Manage Stress
    Proactively providing access to training on mindfulness-based stress reduction programs, which are low-cost, short and simple to implement, and highly-effective for treating anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and curbing unhealthy dietary habits.

Looking for a corporate travel solution that’s with you in sickness and in health? Experience the difference with GTI Travel today.

Some Creative Meeting Venues Travelers are using in the new Sharing Economy

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Looking for a cure for monotonous meetings? Event travel planners are seeing an uptick in the booking of ‘unique’ meeting venues sourced from the sharing economy. Creative industries such as those in technology, fashion, and media have long booked non-traditional spaces, however, the trend of turning to more nontraditional meeting venues is spreading like wildfire as companies divert from bland board rooms and hotel meeting spaces in efforts to open minds and inspire innovation. Rather than the standard options commonly found on Breather and WeWork in big cities, businesses are booking privately-owned venues with a bit more pizazz.

What Unique & Interesting Places Could Host Your Next Meeting or Team-Builder?

In today’s sharing economy, opportunities abound in the U.S. and abroad:

  • Floating house boats.Some Creative Meeting Venues Travelers are using in the new Sharing Economy
  • Restaurant venues.
  • Cocktail lounges.
  • Historic wineries, cellars & wine caves.
  • Yoga studios.
  • Photography studios.
  • Museums.
  • Greenspaces.
  • Co-working spaces.
  • Private residences.
  • And more!

How Can You Get There?

Employees shouldn’t have to make their own arrangements to take advantage of unique meeting venues. Many business travel agencies are utilizing the sharing economy to access exclusive opportunities through online marketplaces such as Airbnb for Work and Spacebase. Which might be best for your upcoming engagement?

  • Airbnb
    Operating in over 800 markets globally, Airbnb is continuing to develop its platform, branching out to encompass ‘Airbnb for Work’ and ‘Airbnb Experiences.’ Rather than the usual fare, the former includes unique lodging for business travelers that incorporate a leisure/tourism element into work travel to break the work travel grind. The latter, facilitating experiential offsite meeting locales and internal events. A loyalty program is promised, but as yet, in the works.
  • Spacebase
    Intentionally designed to mimic Airbnb’s platform to make navigation easier, Spacebase was developed by an emerging group of entrepreneurs seeking to marry the needs of the meetings industry with the sharing economy. Matching the needs of businesses with occupancies in independently owned spaces that can double as event venues, businesses can take advantage of unique accommodations in popular destinations such as Munich, Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and more. Book a space by the hour or day for 10-100+ people, then retire to upscale or quirky residences by night.

Hooking a Booking

The best travel management solutions make perusing availability and booking a venue easy. It’s easy to specify searches based on factors like space capacity, price per hour, or venue style. Though cost is difficult to compare in an apples-to-apples way with hotel meeting spaces, Spacebase’s website touts booking creative venues can save as much as 40% compared to comparable hotel meeting spaces. Cost per square footage is comparable, as is service quality and response rate. The value of breaking the boredom of office meetings and challenging the traditional to inspire imagination and creativity, however, is immeasurable.

Looking for corporate travel planners with an eye for the exceptional? Experience greatness at GTI Travel today.

Why many Executives like to Book their own Travel

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Why many Executives like to Book their own TravelInstead of using a travel agency for business travel, studies show about half of today’s travelers are making their own travel arrangements. Why are executives going through the headache of booking their own flight tickets, transportation, and hotel reservations?

Reasons Employees Make Their Own Travel Arrangements:

  • Convenience
    People prefer convenience. Today’s business travelers are used to having everything immediately at their fingertips, looking to the accessibility and freedom of smartphones and mobile devices to plan and book their travel arrangements outside the typical company travel tools and operating hours.
  • Cost Difference
    Significant differences in price may have employees looking elsewhere… Particularly those extending business travel to spend time in touristy destinations on their own vacation dime.
  • Better Options
    If employees can arrange a shorter flight, nicer hotel or more luxurious car when making arrangements for themselves, why rely on bargain basement, unproven options selected by a fellow employee who will not be attending the trip, but who has been tasked to find the most budget-friendly arrangements?
  • Reward Points
    Many make their own arrangements to rack up reward points for later use, searching for prime fares and staying in unusual places to make the most of rewards systems.

A Corporate Travel Policy Can Make Life Easier for Employees

Do your employees frequently make their own travel arrangements rather than rely on corporate business travel management services? A streamlined travel policy with both the interests of your company and employees at heart offers many benefits…

  • Saving Time
    Instead of employees devoting hours of business and personal time to researching and booking travel services or scrambling to handle changing itineraries, enlisting the experienced help of a corporate travel service can quickly cater to any customer need.
  • Controlling Costs
    With a clearly understood travel policy, you can ensure employees spend on accommodations and dining commiserate with your business guidelines. This includes not only preventing employees from overspending, but safeguarding employees concerned about reimbursement from underspending and suffering a miserable trip, which can contribute to a lack of willingness to comply with future travel needs. What’s more, with a travel management company on your side, you’ll enjoy the benefits of global buying power via a network of trusted connections and suppliers.
  • Boosting Employee Satisfaction
    When backed up by a well-thought-out travel policy, employees will have the information and knowledge to handle canceled flights, changed itineraries, issues with lodging, illness, and more, with the experience of a corporate travel management company on their side to help them quickly navigate unknown situations.
  • Increasing Safety
    Top corporate travel companies know the importance of safety, keeping up with the location of employees at all times. They help business ensure duty-of-care compliance, with plans in place for emergencies, natural disasters, crime or terrorist attack, particularly for those traveling to remote areas of the world or high risk locales.

Streamline your corporate travel needs with the best business travel agency in Philadelphia. Contact GTI Travel to learn more today.

 

A Round up of Holiday Attractions in the Top Business Travel Destinations.

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A Round up of Holiday Attractions in the Top Business Travel Destinations.When it comes to business travel, the best travel management companies will help you make the most of your experience, especially during stops to interesting cities. And with business travel becoming ever more common, it is becoming increasingly easier to squeeze in a bit of sightseeing during your downtime.

Traveling to these Infamous Cities during Holiday Season? Don’t Miss these Attractions:

The changing face of business travel sees workers in many exciting destinations…

  • New York City

    Business trip to the Big Apple? Be sure to ask your business travel agent service for advanced tickets to The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. American icons for almost a century, each year the Rockettes star in this coveted holiday stage show. End your evening in the Rockefeller center, taking in the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a worldwide symbol of the holidays. Perhaps you could even attend the lighting ceremony Wednesday, November 28, enjoying live performances from 7–9pm thereafter.

  • Chicago

    Breezing through the Windy City? Peer through the animated windows of Macy’s (formerly Marshall Fields) department store in the heart of the theatre district, stopping in for souvenirs and to admire the stores 45-foot Great Tree. Hungry? Top corporate travel agencies will advise you not to leave without a visit to the elegant Walnut Room’s 17,000-foot restaurant, infamous for its chicken pot pie, in-view of the tree. Then witness the elaborate Nutcracker ballet, only as performed by world’s best dancers of the Joffrey Ballet. With eye-catching costumes, constantly-evolving, gorgeous sets, and live performances by Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, whether you’re new to the theatre or an aficionado, you’re sure to be wowed.

  • Denver

    Lifting off to the Mile High City? Denver has an array of brilliant light displays to enjoy, from Grand Illumination in the LoDo District and Denver Union Station, to the magic of Santa’s Village at Chatfield Farms Botanic Gardens, music-synchronized Blossoms of Light at Denver Botanic Gardens, and Denver Zoo Lights. Love the theatre? Take-in the Colorado Ballet’s award-winning Nutcracker production or The Buell Theatre’s classic White Christmas show. Tired of the same stale holiday songs? Enliven your holiday spirit at the Annual TubaChristmas Concert in Skyline Park on Sunday, December 16th.

  • San Francisco

    Tired of your dull, dark cubicle? The Golden City is well-lit in the holiday season, renowned not for a giant tree, but dozens of them, including Macy’s holiday tree at Union Square, the majestic PIER 39 tree, and officially non-denominational tree in front of City Hall. See one or see them all, then continuing to brighten up your evening at the Illuminate SF Festival of Light, taking-in block-after-block of eco-friendly light art that is admission free and public transit accessible. Time to burn? Visit PIER 39, one of San Fran’s most popular visitor destinations for holiday gifts and souvenirs, reserving a PIER 39 attraction pass in advance, visiting the Aquarium or Zoo, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Golden Gate Park, and more.

Corporate travel planning? Ask our travel agents to help you plan your itinerary and make the bookings for a trip that’s more than meets the eye. Contact GTI Travel today.

Business Travelers Prefer Convenience over Expense

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Business Travelers Prefer Convenience over ExpenseNowadays, business travelers value convenience over cost. Many are willing to dip into their own funds if it means they can choose their own hotel or airline seat upgrade. It appears some corporate travel policies may need to be re-worked to allow for flexibility in traveling and newer trends.

Why Do Business Travelers Want Control of Their Own Bookings?

Business travelers prefer booking their own travel itineraries mainly for loyalty reward points, especially from credit card companies.  This is because on some airlines, such as United Airlines, a round trip flight from New York to London is around 2,000 miles and cost about $1,000. Depending on the time of year, you could earn at least 3000 points and more if you booked your hotel and transportation at the same time.

Luckily, only a few company policies are extremely rigid, stating that employees must only use “certain suppliers” and that’s it. Most travel policies are becoming more flexible, suggesting ideas, but allowing employees to book itineraries on their mobile devices.

What Do Business Travelers Really Value?

Business travelers spend even more time traveling than ever before. Therefore, around half of them valued direct flights and convenient departure and arrival times over saving money. Business travelers also want to stay in hotel in hotels that offer premium amenities, such as free Wi-Fi, a quiet office setting, and healthy room service options.  A recent study revealed that nearly all business travelers comply with current corporate travel policy. However, nearly 80% of employees said that they’d prefer to work for an organization that implemented a travel management plan with more flexibility.

How Business Travel Managers Can Adapt to Trends

Nearly 60 % of business travelers said that their 2018 business travel budget increased since 2017. This trend is expected to grow and reach $1.6 trillion by 2020. With ever-changing trends, it’s important that your company keeps up and offers flexible options. Providing convenience is essential. Providing employees with perks like pre-check in services or complimentary Wi-Fi services is a good place to start. In addition, a corporate travel service will have information on the latest trends and can help you update policy.  With mobile services taking off in popularity, business travelers prefer to book some of their travel itineraries by mobile.  Travel managers can assist them by allowing employees submit expense reports through their smart phones.  They also need to take advantage of the mobile shift and ride sharing apps and offer travelers discounts on Uber or Lyft.

Currently, many employees still deem business travel as a perk, and several want to work for corporations that allow them to travel frequently on business. Right now, the challenge is to find the balance between cost and flexibility and analyze who is paying for what. At GTI Travel our business travel consultants can help you sort all of that.

Should Business Travel Managers cut costs on Airfare?

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In the past, travel managers only worried about getting the best deal, but times are changing. Nowadays, with tighter security, longer lines, and airline cramped seating, business travel agents value their employee’s comfort just as much as saving money.

Economy Flights Cause Stress

Should Business Travel Managers cut costs on AirfareMany corporations do not want their employees traveling on economy flights for business trips. The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) did a recent study and discovered that 63% of large companies do not permit their employees to book economy fares. The study also revealed that 79% of corporate travel agencies hide the basic economy rates. This is because travel managers feel their employees sometimes seem overwhelmed, since they couldn’t choose to sit with their colleagues and would often arrive at their destination exhausted.

Perks of Flying Business Class

There are many perks of flying business class that travelers do love. Many enjoy using the online check in app and priority boarding, which allows them to skip several lines and board first. Business travelers also enjoy taking advantage of roomier seating and complimentary lounge access on the plane. Many business travelers feel tired and stressed after a long flight and enjoy taking advantage of shower facilities in the lounge.

What Business Travelers Really Want

Business travelers crave ease and comfort. They prefer non-stop flights versus cheaper flights with layovers. This lessens the amount of time they wait around an airport, as well as the time in the air. They also value convenient flight times. Some business travelers would prefer to complete a trip in one day when possible, leaving early in the morning and returning the same night. Travel agencies can make business travel easier, in many ways, including hassle-free flight itineraries so that employees can relax. Business travel agencies also know how to get employees upgrades on their flight. They can also assist them in rescheduling a flight.

What the Future Looks Like for Business Travel and Airfare

Some airlines are just as interested in being creative as they are competing with other markets. Your corporate travel agency can tell you which airlines and airports offer specialized check-ins for large corporations, such as Microsoft or Amazon. They can also inform you which airlines offer their business class travelers extra perks, such as complimentary pajamas to wear on overnight flights.

Since so many business travelers say their job performance and satisfaction is based on their overall travel experience, it’s imperative that they feel relaxed and comfortable. Using travel management companies that are available 24/7 is a great way to start. These agents can help your corporation analyze their spending habits and make changes to your travel policy accordingly. It keeps employees involved in the process, and it allows for upgrades for their comfort. You’ll often find while the cost of savings may vary, you’ll have happier, more productive team members.

Upcoming Trends in Business Travel Expenses

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Upcoming Trends in Business Travel ExpensesThe global economy constantly affects the world of corporate travel. New trends and challenges will be occurring in every sector of business travel in 2019. Therefore, it’s wise best to be informed on what’s happening with the airlines, hotels, and on the ground.

Business travelers should expect to see a spike in flight and hotel prices in 2019. According to the Global Travel Association forecast, flight prices are expected to rise 2.6 % and hotel prices 3.7 %. These trends are based on the global economy and key markets, as well as new technology. Knowing these trends extensively will help business travel agencies assist you in booking your trip.

Upcoming Price Increases

Flight prices are expected to spike due to increasing fuel and oil prices:

  • Prices in North America will only rise about 1.8 percent.
  • Parts of Latin America are expected to decrease around 2 percent. However, Chile is expected to experience a 7.5 percent spike.
  • Countries in Asia may see a 3.2 percent increase, especially since Chinese travel and tourism has become a hot commodity.

Hotel prices are expected to increase mainly because the demand has also increased:

  • Hotel prices are projected to spike around 2.1 overall percent in North America. This includes a 5 percent increase in Canada and a 2.7 percent in the United States.
  • However, Latin America will see a 1.3 percent decrease in hotel prices, especially in Brazil, Venezuela, and Argentina.  Rates will fluctuate overseas as well.
  • Parts of Western Europe will see as high as a 5.6 percent increase in hotel prices while decreasing in parts of Eastern Europe, Africa, and Middle Asia.

New Ways of Ground Transportation

The price of ground transportation and rental cars will not spike as much as flights and hotel prices but some countries like Canada, France, Italy, and Germany could see up to a 4 percent increase by 2019. Some travelers prefer hailing ride-sharing vehicles or even using electric cars versus fuel-operated ones to save some money. However, some business travelers prefer to be in control of where they are driving and business travel services can hook you up with the best rates and help you book the rest of your itinerary.

New Technology Apps

Many hotels are now offering their customers apps to help with online booking.  In addition, ride-hailing apps have become trendy, instead of worrying about renting a car once you land at the airport. Yet, these new apps are not for everyone.  Many business travelers prefer to use experienced corporate travel agents instead, who can provide you with the best worldwide deals to hotels, airfare, and rental cars.

If all of these new trends seem overwhelming and expensive to you, consider implementing travel expense policy guidelines so that everyone understands the guidelines and feels like part of the process. If you need further assistance, contact a company that specializes in corporate expense management solutions. They can teach how to help your business make productive choices and analyze employee spending on business trips.

6 Ways to Cut down on Airport Wait Times

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6 Ways to Cut down on Airport Wait TimesWaiting in long lines and sitting around at the airport can be a bummer, especially when you’re on a tight schedule when traveling for business. The process of getting from point A to point B takes time of course, but these tips can make it faster, easier, and more efficient.

1. Take an Early Flight

Early-morning flights (from about 6 am to 10 am) are less likely to be delayed than flights that take off later in the day. Heading out at off-peak hours can also help you avoid sitting in rush hour traffic and waiting in long airport security lines.

2. Book Flights with Minimal Layovers

The more stops you make, the longer it’s going to take to get to your destination. If you want to save even more time and skip waiting for connecting flights at the airport, book a nonstop flight.

3. Sign up for TSA Pre-check and Global Entry

TSA Pre-check can help you save a lot of time by avoiding long lines at airport security. You won’t have to remove your shoes, belt or light jacket and you can leave laptops and liquids in your carry-on. A five-year membership is $85, and all you have to do is submit an online application and visit an enrollment center for a short appointment that includes a background check and fingerprinting.

Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that permits pre-approved, low-risk international travelers to return to the United States using automatic kiosks at select airports; allowing you to breeze through customs and get home faster.

4. Use Mobile Travel Apps

Avoid unnecessary wait times by checking in online or using your airline’s travel app to get a mobile boarding pass. Airline travel apps also provide real-time updates on delays, cancellations and gate changes.

5. Pack Light to Avoid Checking Baggage

Packing light is always the way to go if you want to save time. From waiting to check baggage at the ticket counter to collecting your bags after a flight to lost luggage (oh no!), checking your bags can add hours to travel time.  With a carry-on, you can usually head straight to security as long as you have your boarding pass in hand. If you’re worried about running out of clothes, book a hotel that offers laundry service.

6. Plan Ahead

To avoid languishing at the airport, book ground transportation, check the weather and scope out the area you’re traveling to ahead of time online. That way, you’ll know exactly where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. If your flight is delayed or canceled, using a company that provides 24/7 business travel services can help you avoid the headaches that come with getting stuck at the airport. From finding rooms at nearby hotels, to booking last-minute flight alternatives or getting information on the perks available at the airline lounge, corporate travel agents can help you come up with a backup plan to make traveling for business speedy, smooth and stress-free.

TSA Approved ways to Cut down Airport wait times

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TSA Approved ways to Cut down Airport wait timesNo one likes an inordinate amount of wait time at the airport. Instead, every traveler would – please pardon the pun – like to “fly” through the check-in and TSA processes. Generally, as the best corporate travel agencies will tell you, the airlines do a good job – much of the time – facilitating their part of the process.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), however, has a far more difficult job when it comes to processing travelers – namely securing their safety. It takes a lot of time and effort to do so on the part of both the traveler and the TSA.

Still, this much maligned – unfairly, we think – government agency does offer several options on how best to cut down on your wait time while making your way through airport security. Here is a quick breakdown on the most notable ones – the best travel management companies swear by them:

  • PRECHECK – This program allows qualified travelers to avail themselves of airport security lanes with lighter screening and shorter wait times. To begin, you will be required to provide some personal information but once you are vetted, you will be issued a trusted traveler number. Ensure that this number is always included on your airline itinerary. At the airport, you will not have to remove your belt or shoes and you don’t have to take out your liquids and gels out of your carry-on for security screening. In addition, children twelve and under can also use the PRECHECK lane as long as they are traveling with a parent or guardian whose boarding pass carries the PRECHECK indicator.
  • GLOBAL ENTRY – Similarly, this program administered by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency provides expedited entry through the TSA security lanes at airports. GLOBAL ENTRY includes all the benefits of PRECHECK but also includes expedited customs screening for international travelers. Through the use of designated self-service kiosks, GLOBAL ENTRY members can completely eliminate the need to wait in custom’s inspection lines. Also included in the program is expedited processing at Mexico and Canada border crossings. One caveat, unlike PRECHECK, children of all ages need their own Global Entry status to use the expedited customs screening process.
  • CLEAR – Though only available in about three dozen major cities, a membership in this program provides access to the user with just a press of their finger or the blink of an eye. Kiosks located in airports allow the user to simply provide their fingerprint or a retina scan to gain access to expedited security lanes.
  • SENTRI and NEXUS – These two programs are ideal for the frequent traveler to Mexico and Canada respectively. Each allows access to expedited lanes for both foot and vehicle entry. In addition, Nexus allows the use of designated kiosks when arriving by air or sea into a Canadian airport or marine facility.

For more information on these trusted traveler tools and other ways to make your corporate travel easier, please contact us at GTI Travel. Find us online at GTItravel.com or you can reach one of our business travel agents directly with any questions at 800.223.3863.

4 Business Travel Fraud Schemes and What You Can do to Prevent Them

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4 Business Travel Fraud Schemes and What You Can do to Prevent ThemIn the world of handwritten expense reports, corporate travelers have many opportunities to profit from various expense reimbursement fraud schemes, resulting in billions of dollars being stolen from companies each year. Although there is always potential for fraud, using proper internal controls and business travel management companies that utilize cutting-edge technology can help your business control travel costs and root out fraud.

1. Profiting from Per diems

The hassle of saving receipts and filling out expense reports has led many companies to give business travelers daily allowances, or per-diems. If an employee attends a conference that includes all meals– he or she has no food costs but still receives an allowance each day, basically costing the company money for nothing.

How to avoid it: Many business travel agents are trained to help employees utilize easy-to-use electronic travel expense management systems that cut down or eliminate the need for per diems.

2. Padding Mileage

With handwritten log books, inflating mileage is a common way to fraudulently increase reimbursement for travel expenses.

How to avoid it: New expense report apps with GPS tracking capabilities allow employees to record actual mileage based on the time and distance traveled.  Instituting a travel expense policy for your small business that only accepts mileage reimbursement through GPS tracking can help your company cut mileage costs.

3. Fake Out-of-Pocket Expenses

Some companies only ask for receipts over a certain dollar amount, which leaves plenty of opportunity to submit false expenses for amounts that fall under the limit–such as tips for bellhops and cab drivers.

How to avoid it: Travel expense tracking technology makes it easier than ever for employees to manage receipts and fill out paperless expense reports. Some expense apps enable you to use smartphone voice technology to create receipts instantly or snap a picture of a receipt and upload it to an electronic expense report. These types of smart expense apps allow more accurate reporting of expenses and eliminate the need for a no-receipt policy.

4. Unused & Last-Minute Airline Tickets

Some business travelers are quite savvy at getting free airline trips on the company dime. For example, if an employee is reimbursed for a flight for a conference that is subsequently cancelled; he or she may book an additional ticket when the conference is back on, even though the original ticket could have been used with a change fee. Another trick that can cost your company– employees who purchase expensive airline tickets close to the time of the flight to get better upgrades.

How to avoid it: Many corporate travel agencies use state-of-the-art technology to track reservations, cancellations & flight changes; and can automatically apply unused tickets or upgrades the next time an employee travels. Some programs can pull information from expense reports and flag employees that show a habitual pattern of last-minute bookings.

If you’re looking to prevent travel expense fraud, choosing the best corporate travel agency to assist you will make your company’s corporate travel policy more efficient, effective and reduce or eliminate fraud.