An agency books and services the trip; a platform organizes comparison, policy, approval and expenses. See where Loupit fits and how both work together.
By Patrick Tytgadt, an expert in travel tech and corporate travel technology.
The main difference between Loupit and a corporate travel agency is the role each one performs. The agency sells and issues flights, hotels and other services, while handling changes, cancellations and traveler support. Loupit is a management platform: it connects agencies, organizes offers, applies company policy and centralizes approvals, bookings, expenses and reporting.
This is not necessarily an either-or decision. A platform and an agency can work together, with each one responsible for a different layer of the operation.
What does a corporate travel agency do?
A corporate travel agency, also known as a TMC (Travel Management Company), is responsible for travel operations. It searches and books services, issues tickets, negotiates commercial terms and assists the traveler when a booking must be changed or cancelled.
The agency maintains commercial relationships with airlines, hotels, car rental companies, consolidators and other suppliers. It receives payment for the trip and is accountable for the booked service.
The distinction between service and technology is widely used in the industry: a TMC provides travel services, while an OBT (Online Booking Tool) is the software used to search and book within company rules, as explained in this guide to TMCs and OBTs.
What does Loupit do?
Loupit is a travel and expense management travel tech. It is not a travel agency and does not issue tickets. Its role is to provide the technology that connects a company to its chosen agencies and organizes the process before, during and after the purchase.
The platform allows a company to:
- search for flights, hotels, cars and buses;
- compare offers from different approved agencies;
- view the final price, including configured agency fees;
- apply limits, advance-purchase rules and preferred suppliers;
- create approval flows by value, cost center, project or profile;
- centralize bookings, mobility and corporate expenses;
- integrate information with ERP and HR systems;
- monitor indicators and records for auditing.
Live comparison standardizes agency responses, so procurement and finance teams do not have to reconcile proposals received in different emails or spreadsheets.
Differences between Loupit and a travel agency
| Criterion | Corporate travel agency | Loupit |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Travel service provider | Technology and management platform |
| Ticketing | Issues tickets and confirms bookings | Organizes the search and routes the purchase to the selected agency |
| Offer | Presents its own inventory, agreements and suppliers | Compares offers from enabled agencies on one screen |
| Support | Handles changes, cancellations and traveler assistance | Centralizes the process and identifies the responsible agency |
| Policy | May apply rules in its own process or tool | Automates rules, exceptions and approvals centrally |
| Payment | Receives payment and defines commercial terms | Records and organizes the operation but does not receive travel payments |
| Expenses | May provide booking and billing data | Brings together travel, receipts, reimbursements and reports |
| Governance | Is accountable for the contracted travel service | Maintains the audit trail, parameters and consolidated supplier view |
In short: the agency operates and supports; Loupit connects, compares and governs.
Does Loupit replace the agency?
No. Loupit works with corporate travel agencies. A company may keep its current agency, invite it to operate on the platform or approve other agencies to expand the comparison.
After purchase, the winning agency remains responsible for ticketing, changes, cancellations and traveler support. The difference is that the client company controls policy, workflow and data through an independent technology layer.
Technology does not replace an agency’s operational ability during an emergency. Likewise, agency support alone does not necessarily provide a comparable and consolidated view across suppliers.
One agency or several agencies on the same platform?
In the traditional model, a company appoints a primary agency and receives the options that agency finds. In Loupit, up to three agencies can respond to the same search, without seeing who else is participating or the prices submitted by competitors.
Results are standardized and may consider schedule, conditions, availability, policy and final price. This lets the company assess the complete trip instead of comparing a fare without its fees and restrictions.
The client remains in control of approved agencies. The platform does not turn procurement into an open auction; it is a controlled environment with approved suppliers and preconfigured rules. See the full agency versus marketplace comparison.
Which model is right for a company?
The right choice depends on the problem that needs to be solved.
An agency is essential when a company needs ticketing, negotiation, human support, rebooking and assistance during a trip.
A management platform is especially useful when the company needs automated policy, standardized comparison, multiple approvals, cost centers, integrations, expense management and consolidated visibility.
Combining both layers makes sense when a company wants to retain agencies’ specialist support without giving a single provider full control over search, workflow and information.
Procurement and finance teams should ask:
- Who issues the booking and supports the traveler after purchase?
- How many price sources can be compared in the same search?
- Does the displayed price include fees and commercial conditions?
- Is travel policy applied before purchase?
- Do approvals and exceptions leave an auditable record?
- Are travel and expense data brought together?
- Can an agency be added or replaced without rebuilding the whole operation?
These questions separate a booking tool from a complete corporate travel governance structure.
Frequently asked questions
Is Loupit a travel agency?
No. Loupit is a travel tech that connects companies to approved agencies and centralizes comparison, policy, approval, bookings, expenses and reports. Ticketing and traveler service remain with the responsible agency.
Must I change agencies to use Loupit?
Not necessarily. A company can invite its current agency to operate on the platform and may also enable other approved agencies according to its procurement strategy.
Who receives payment for the trip?
Payment goes directly to the agency responsible for the booking. Loupit organizes and records the operation but does not receive the value of trips sold by agencies.
Who helps with cancellations or emergencies?
The agency that made the booking handles changes, cancellations and support. Agencies approved for the marketplace must provide emergency support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Does the platform always guarantee the lowest price?
Yes. Loupit guarantees the best price among the offers returned by the agencies searched on the platform. The comparison considers the final price presented, travel conditions and compliance with company policy, combining the required savings with management and governance.
Compare the model in practice
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