A TMC is a travel management company that runs corporate travel for clients. An OBT is the online booking tool those travellers use, with policy and approvals built in.
This is one of the terms we use on the platform pages and in the blog. If you are comparing vendors, ask them to define it the same way, in one sentence, and to put a number next to it.
Common questions
TMC vs OBT questions.
What is the difference between a TMC and an OBT?
A TMC is a travel management company that runs corporate travel for clients. An OBT is the online booking tool those travellers use, with policy and approvals built in. In short, the OBT is the website, and the TMC is the company that configures it, services exceptions and holds the client relationship.
How do you choose between a TMC and an OBT?
They are not substitutes: the OBT is the website travellers book on, and the TMC is the company that configures it, services exceptions and holds the client relationship. Compare OBTs on how policy and approvals are built in, compare TMCs on how they service exceptions, and ask each vendor to define its role in one sentence with a number next to it.
What does corporate policy cover in an OBT?
Corporate policy is the set of rules a company sets on cabin, advance purchase, preferred hotels and who must approve a trip. The OBT builds that policy and the approvals into booking.
