Offering concierge services to business travellers helped grow Travel Counsellors’ corporate business by 17% across five global offices in the first quarter of the year.
Growth for the UK division of the business particularly was up by 20% in the first three months of the year.
The independent home working company claims to be one of the few travel management companies to be reporting such robust growth so far this year.
Its concierge service can range from making restaurant reservations and checking customers in online through to arranging chauffer services and booking private jets
Managing director Steve Byrne said: “It is no secret that margins in corporate travel are being squeezed more than ever, which is making life hard for many TMCs.
“More is being spent because travel is simply costing more. However this isn’t the case for us.
“We’re continuing to buck the trend and this is because an increased number of corporate travellers are seeing the value in the extras we can provide via our concierge services. As a result our client base is growing.”
UK-based Travel Counsellor Tony Snook said: “Demand for concierge type requests have steadily increased as customer expectations continue to rise.
“Being connected to a network of 1,200 Travel Counsellors means I’m able to come up with innovative solutions for my clients by drawing on local knowledge and reliable expertise from different corners of the globe.
“I recently received a call from a client who had missed a flight connection jeopardising a crucial meeting – in no time I arranged a private plane, so not only did I eradicate any stress, my client got to his meeting on time.
“For many, I am more than just a travel advisor, many clients think of me as their PA.”