It's probably about time employees are trusted to follow their instincts and book their way, but travel agencies will need to be on board to ensure things don't get too out of hand.
TripAdvisor's investment into Traxo isn't a huge surprise when you consider the challenge of itinerary management for consumer travel companies selling a variety of different products in one place.
As TripAdvisor evolves into more of a booking site than it is today, it makes total sense over the long term for it to get increasingly interested in corporate travel. Business travelers yearn for that elusive perfect trip, too.
Travel managers need to know where travelers are and what they're spending. New technology can make them better informed and more empowered to help travelers when something goes wrong.
Travel startups pivoting from a consumer business toward a B2B focus is trendy, with founders and CEOs believing that there will be fewer marketing woes and reduced competition. But get in line when it comes to joining the droves of startups trying to sell to big corporations, hotels and travel agencies. The sales hurdle can be almost as intractable as the marketing roadblock.
Whether Traxo is the company that ends up bringing personalized hotel recommendations to throngs of travelers or another company does it, this is where online and mobile travel is heading. The airlines are trying to do this, as well.
Traxo is one of several mileage-tracking sites that have been temporarily banned by airlines from accessing frequent flyers' account information. Agreements have since restarted the service, but Traxo is still competing in a crowded market.