Why a clear travel policy matters more than ever 

A good travel policy should make business travel easier to manage, not more complicated. 

For Maaike Hoogervorst, the starting point is simple: a travel policy needs to be clear, practical and aligned with the organisation’s objectives. That means looking beyond cost alone and considering traveller wellbeing, duty of care, sustainability and the purpose of each journey. 

Balancing business objectives and traveller wellbeing 

Every organisation has different priorities. Some focus strongly on cost, while others place more emphasis on sustainability, traveller wellbeing or operational efficiency. 

Maaike explains that these priorities need to be balanced carefully. A long-haul journey, for example, may be cheaper in economy, but if an employee needs to attend an important meeting or negotiation shortly after arrival, rest and productivity also become part of the decision. 

“If people need to travel to the Far East and have negotiations when they arrive, you also need to think about whether they have had enough rest and are fresh when they get there.” 

The same applies to sustainability. A direct flight may better support sustainability objectives, but it can also be more expensive. A good policy should therefore make clear which priorities matter most to the organisation and how travellers should apply them in practice. 

Keep the rules clear 

One of the biggest challenges Maaike sees is unnecessary complexity. 

Too many exceptions can quickly make a policy difficult to follow. When travellers are unsure what applies to them, they are more likely to make their own decisions or book outside policy. 

“The more clear it is, the better,” Maaike says. 

Consistency is equally important. If similar travellers receive different approvals in the same situation, the policy can quickly lose credibility. That also applies across different levels of seniority. 

Clear rules, limited exceptions and consistent application make it easier for travellers to understand what is expected. 

Duty of care starts with visibility 

A travel policy also plays an important role in duty of care. 

Knowing where travellers are is essential, particularly when circumstances change quickly. That becomes more difficult when employees book outside the approved travel channels. 

Maaike therefore stresses the importance of keeping bookings within the organisation’s travel programme, whether that is through an online booking tool or an offline travel team. 

“If people book elsewhere, you lose sight of where they are.” 

For organisations, that visibility helps support travellers when they need it most. 

Turn policy into practical choices 

A strong policy should translate company objectives into practical booking behaviour. 

For cost control, that can mean encouraging travellers to book earlier. Maaike points to booking flights at least 21 days in advance as an important way to access lower fares. Preferred airlines, hotels and car rental partners can also support the organisation’s commercial agreements. 

For sustainability, the policy can be more specific. Some organisations require rail travel within a certain distance, while others limit day trips, restrict premium cabins on shorter journeys or encourage travellers to combine several meetings into one trip. 

The important part is clarity. Travellers should understand what the company expects when they make a booking. 

Use data to improve the policy 

For Maaike, data is essential. 

“I think data is crucial.” 

Booking data can show where travellers are following policy, where exceptions occur and where the policy may be creating unnecessary friction. 

If the same out-of-policy reasons appear repeatedly, for example, that can indicate that flight times do not meet traveller needs, that another option is more practical or that the policy itself needs to be reviewed. 

The same applies to booking behaviour. If employees regularly use an offline team for straightforward journeys that could easily be booked online, the data can help identify whether they need support with the booking tool or whether there is another reason behind that behaviour. 

Without good reporting, it becomes difficult to measure whether the policy is actually working. 

A travel policy should evolve 

A travel policy should not remain unchanged for years. 

Maaike describes it as a living document. Travel patterns change, companies move into new markets, projects create new destinations and occasional travellers can become frequent travellers. 

“If you have really good quality data, you can see what is happening and decide whether something needs to be tweaked or restricted.” 

That could mean making a short-term adjustment because of changing circumstances, or reviewing the policy when the organisation begins travelling more frequently to a particular destination. 

The policy should evolve with the business. 

Keep it simple 

Maaike’s advice to organisations looking to improve their travel policy is straightforward. 

” Keep it simple. Make the policy easy to find, the rules clear, and ensure the right stakeholders are involved. HR, Finance, Commercial and Travel all bring different perspectives, but they should be aligned around the same objectives.” 

And importantly, remember that business travel is still about people. 

Travellers are away from home and family, often managing demanding schedules in unfamiliar environments. A good policy should therefore support both the organisation and the traveller. 

Clear rules, strong data and regular review make that possible.