For many Indian companies, business travel still runs on emails, WhatsApp and reimbursements. That means no control over spend, missing GST credit and trips delayed by visas nobody planned for.
Corporate travel management is the system a company uses to book, approve, pay for and report on employee travel: a travel policy, an approval flow, a booking channel (a self-booking tool, a travel management company, or both), and reporting that ties back to finance.
The four building blocks
| Block | What it covers | Common gap in Indian companies |
|---|---|---|
| Travel policy | Cabin class, hotel caps, advance booking, per diems | Exists on paper, not enforced at booking |
| Approvals | Who signs off, before or after booking | Done on email after the money is spent |
| Booking channel | Self-booking tool, TMC, or hybrid | Employees book anywhere and claim later |
| Reporting and GST | Spend by team, trip and vendor; GST credit | GSTIN missing on invoices, credit lost |
Booking tool vs travel management company (TMC)
- Self-booking tool: employees book within policy online. Cheaper per trip, best for simple domestic travel.
- TMC: a managed service with agents, negotiated rates and 24/7 support. Better for complex international trips and VIP travel.
- Hybrid: most mid-size companies use a booking tool for routine trips and TMC support for the rest.
GST: the money most companies leave on the table
- Flights: 5% GST on economy and 18% on premium cabins (since 22 September 2025). Input tax credit is generally available for genuine business travel when the company's GSTIN is on the ticket invoice and the credit appears in GSTR-2B.
- Hotels: rooms up to ₹7,500 a night carry 5% GST with no credit; above ₹7,500, 18% with credit when billed to the company GSTIN.
- Agency fees: service fees from your TMC or booking platform carry GST too.
- The fix: make GSTIN capture mandatory at booking, not at reimbursement.
Your CA should confirm treatment for your company, especially for inter-state hotel stays.
Business visas: the hidden cause of delayed trips
For international travel, the visa is usually the longest lead time: invitation letters, bank statements, appointments, and rules that change by destination. Few corporate booking tools handle it, so it lands on admin teams by email. A good setup tracks visa status alongside the trip, flags urgent travel and keeps employee documents secure.
A 30-day plan to get started
- Week 1: write a one-page travel policy (cabin, hotel caps, approval rules).
- Week 2: pick a booking channel and make GSTIN capture mandatory.
- Week 3: centralise business-visa requests with a status dashboard.
- Week 4: set up monthly spend and GST-credit reports for finance.
How Krosz for Business can help
Krosz is building one B2B platform where agencies and companies book travel and the visa in the same place. Here's what's ready today and what's in early access:
| Product | Who it's for | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Krosz Partners: B2B visa portal with your own markup, wallet and white-label branding | Travel agencies | Live: create a free partner account |
| Krosz Enterprise: business-visa panel with team logins and a status dashboard | Companies and travel desks | Live: talk to us |
| Krosz corporate travel panel: flights, hotels and business visas with approvals | Agencies, startups and companies | Early access: join the list |
Krosz Enterprise already gives companies team logins, secure document collection and a live status dashboard for business visas.
Talk to the Krosz for Business team →
Last checked on 11 October 2026. Airline distribution rules, taxes and supplier terms change often; confirm current terms with your suppliers and tax adviser.