What Is a TMC and Do I Actually Need One?

11 July 2025 | Travel Blogs | Travel News

A detailed guide for startups, finance teams and founders who want better business travel

What is a TMC?

A TMC, or Travel Management Company, is a business travel expert that helps companies book, manage and optimise their travel. Flights, hotels, rail, traveller support, reporting — all handled by professionals who know how business travel actually works.

Unlike booking through public sites, a TMC like echo.bravo provides you with negotiated rates, real-time support and complete visibility on your spend.

Whether you’re a founder travelling monthly or a scaling team juggling conference travel, a TMC removes friction so you can move faster.

Do You Actually Need a TMC?

If you’re booking more than the occasional trip, the answer is yes, and here’s why smart UK companies are switching.

1. Save Hours of Admin

Comparing flights, chasing receipts, double-checking travel policies, it’s a drain on your time. A TMC handles everything from door-to-door bookings to data capture and invoicing. That means fewer distractions for your team and more time spent where it matters.

Our Business Travel Solutions are designed to take the load off fast-moving companies.

2. Better Rates and Corporate Perks

TMCs often unlock negotiated fares and corporate deals you can’t access online. We know how to get more from airline loyalty schemes, hotel programmes and extras that benefit frequent travellers — including early check-ins, lounge access and free upgrades.

3. Actual Support When Plans Go Sideways

Missed flight or last-minute change? Unlike booking platforms, a TMC gives you real people to call, not bots, not hold music. You’ll get 24/7 support from someone who knows your company and can actually fix things.

4. Clear Reporting and Cost Control

You’ll get real-time dashboards showing who’s travelling, how much you’re spending and where savings can be made. This is especially valuable for finance teams looking to cut wasted spend without cutting travel altogether.

Our Account Management team helps clients stay in control of their travel programme with minimal admin.

5. Travel That Plays Nice With Compliance

From travel policy enforcement to duty of care and VAT, business travel comes with layers of risk. A smart TMC will issue clean invoices, flag reclaim opportunities (like UK rail or service fees) and help you stay compliant with things like the TOMS scheme, no jargon required.

Why echo.bravo?

We’re not a bloated global agency. We’re lean, human-first and built for ambitious businesses who want travel that works like the rest of their company, agile, responsive and built on trust.

A real person who knows your travellers
Seamless bookings across air, rail and hotels
Smart tech for cost-control and visibility
Trusted by top performers in sport, media, finance and tech
Concierge-level flexibility, without luxury mark-ups

Want to work with a partner that just gets it? Contact us and we’ll show you how simple business travel can be.

Final Word

If you’re still relying on Google, juggling tabs and hoping someone remembered to book a hotel — it’s time to rethink.

A great TMC saves you money, reduces hassle and protects your team. Whether you’re a startup scaling fast or a finance lead trying to rein in spend, there’s a better way to do business travel, and it starts with choosing a partner who’s built for it.

FAQs

What does a TMC actually do?

A Travel Management Company books and manages business travel for your company, including flights, hotels, rail, policy control and 24/7 support. Think of it as an outsourced travel department.

Is a TMC just for big corporates?

Not at all. Many of our clients are startups, SMEs or growing teams with 5–50 travellers. The value a TMC brings is actually greater when your resources are tight.

Do TMCs cost more than booking yourself?

Not when done right. echo.bravo unlocks exclusive rates, reduces time costs and prevents errors — which usually saves companies more than it costs.

Can I still earn loyalty points and perks?

Yes. We optimise every booking to ensure your team benefits from airline loyalty schemes like British Airways On Business or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

How do I know if a TMC is working for us?

You’ll see the difference instantly, fewer emails, faster bookings, clearer reporting and support when things go wrong. We also provide dashboards so you can track your travel ROI in real-time.