Travel forecasting

Predicting future travel spend based on trip history and company plans. It uses past booking and expense data, along with known upcoming events like conferences or expansions, to estimate what travel will cost in coming months or the next year. Accurate forecasting helps finance teams plan budgets and negotiate supplier commitments with more confidence.

Forecasting typically combines several inputs: historical spend and trip volumes, seasonal patterns, business plans such as new projects, market expansion or hiring, planned events and conferences, and expected changes in supplier prices. Some companies forecast at a high level — total travel spend for the year — while others build detailed forecasts by department, destination or type of travel. Forecasts are usually reviewed and adjusted during the year as plans change. Scenario planning helps prepare for uncertainty.

Accurate forecasts help companies avoid both overspending and unnecessarily tight budgets. They also support supplier negotiations: a company that can show expected volumes on key routes or at key hotels is in a stronger position to secure good rates. The quality of a forecast depends heavily on the quality of historical data. If a large share of travel happens outside the managed channel, the forecast will be based on an incomplete picture.

Tumodo gives companies a reliable data foundation for forecasting. All trips booked on the platform are recorded with their costs, routes and suppliers, and analytics show spending by trip, team, cost centre, route and service type. These insights help finance teams plan budgets based on accurate data. In addition, Tumodo's dedicated key account manager reviews the company's travel activity every six months and offers insights to cut unnecessary costs.