Frequently asked questions
Find answers to common questions about our services, support and how we work. If you cannot see what you are looking for, our team is always ready to help.
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What are your standard opening hours for corporate travel support?
Our standard corporate travel support hours are 6:00am to 10:00pm, Monday to Friday, including UK bank holidays. These hours are designed to cover the full business travel day and support time-sensitive bookings, changes, and disruptions for business travellers.
Is your 24/7 emergency corporate travel service outsourced?
No, our 24/7 emergency corporate travel support is delivered entirely by our in-house team, not a third-party call centre. This ensures your travellers are supported by consultants who understand your company, your travel policy, and your priorities, even outside core operating hours.
How do you charge for corporate travel management services?
We operate a transparent transaction-fee pricing model, which typically represents 2–3% of a company’s annual travel spend. This approach provides clarity, predictability, and alignment between service delivery, cost control, and value.
What is your approach to staff retention within your corporate travel team?
Our average consultant tenure is over 10 years, significantly higher than industry norms. As a recognised Great Place to Work, we focus on long-term retention, continuity of service, and building trusted customer relationships rather than high staff turnover.
How do you adapt when a company’s corporate travel requirements change?
We adapt through continuous investment in travel technology, data-led management information, and proactive account management. This allows us to respond quickly to changes in travel volume, policy, supplier strategy, or reporting requirements as your business evolves.
Will our corporate travel account be managed in a call-centre environment?
No, your corporate travel programme will always be supported by a dedicated account team, led by an Agent Lead with in-depth knowledge of your business and travel policy. This ensures accountability, consistency, and efficient issue resolution, rather than anonymous call-centre handling.
What is the typical implementation timeline for a corporate travel programme?
A standard corporate travel implementation typically takes around six weeks. More complex or bespoke travel management solutions may require up to eight weeks, allowing sufficient time for policy alignment, system configuration, and stakeholder onboarding.
How do you help mitigate corporate travel risk and duty of care?
All corporate travel bookings are monitored in real time. Alerts are triggered within seconds of confirmation if disruption, delay, or risk is identified. This supports proactive intervention, traveller communication, and fulfilment of duty of care responsibilities.
Do we need to sign a long-term contract to appoint you as our TMC?
No, we do not require long-term contractual lock-in. We focus on earning trust through consistent service delivery and building long-term partnerships based on performance, reliability, and value rather than obligation.
How do you ensure best-value fares for corporate travellers?
We combine expert fare knowledge with technology that continually checks for lower fares before and after ticketing. This helps identify savings opportunities as prices fluctuate and ensures best value within agreed corporate travel policies.
What are your average corporate travel service response times?
Our most recent performance data shows:
- Average email response time: under one hour
- Average telephone answer time: 12 seconds
These response times support fast decision-making for time-critical business travel.
How do you negotiate competitive supplier rates as a privately owned travel management company?
We access competitive supplier rates through global strategic partnerships and leveraged collective spend in excess of $20 billion. This scale enables us to secure favourable pricing and benefits typically associated with much larger travel management companies.
Can you issue corporate travel tickets and invoices in multiple currencies?
Yes, we support multi-currency ticketing and invoicing, including GBP, EUR, and USD, making it easier for international businesses to manage reporting, reconciliation, and cost allocation.
How often do you review corporate travel performance and KPIs?
We conduct quarterly business reviews, providing detailed analysis of service levels, performance against agreed KPIs, and visibility of achieved or missed savings. This ensures transparency and continuous improvement.
How do you ensure missed air fare savings are reviewed before ticketing?
We can implement approval workflows routed to designated line managers, based on agreed priorities and thresholds. This ensures visibility and control over higher-cost decisions before tickets are issued.
Do you book personal travel as well as corporate travel?
Yes, while BFP is known for corporate travel management, all personal and leisure travel is handled by Escapes by BFP. We design luxury holidays, family trips, multi-generational travel, honeymoons and bespoke itineraries worldwide.
What is Escapes by BFP?
Escapes by BFP is the luxury leisure travel division of BFP Group. We create bespoke holidays, curated itineraries and high-end travel experiences for individuals, families and corporate customers looking for personal travel support.
Can corporate travel customers book their holidays through you?
Yes of course. Many of our corporate customers choose Escapes by BFP for their personal travel. We already understand their preferences, service expectations and standards, which allows us to deliver a seamless, high-touch experience.
Do you offer bespoke luxury holidays?
Yes, every Escapes by BFP itinerary is tailored. We specialise in luxury resorts and villas, five-star hotels, safari experiences, ski holidays, city breaks, family travel and once-in-a-lifetime trips.
What destinations do you cover?
We arrange worldwide luxury travel including Europe, the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, USA, Middle East, Asia, Africa and beyond. Whether you are looking for a private villa in Mallorca, a safari in Kenya or a wellness retreat in the Maldives, we can design it.
Are you ABTA or ATOL protected?
Yes. Escapes by BFP is affiliated with Colletts Travel, a trusted and well-established Tour Operator. Our affiliation means we are a part of a network which is ABTA, IATA and ATOL bonded, ensuring your bookings and travel are secure and protected. Colletts Travel Limited, a Global Travel Collection UK Company registered in the UK under companies’ house 01714349. For
Why use a luxury travel advisor instead of booking online?
A luxury travel advisor provides expert recommendations, preferred partner access, added value, problem resolution support and time savings. We also have access to exclusive rates, upgrades and benefits not always available online.
Do you provide 24-hour support while we are travelling?
Yes. Customers have access to dedicated support before and during their trip, giving reassurance if plans change or assistance is required.
Do you arrange multi-generational family holidays?
Yes. We regularly design multi-generational trips that balance relaxation, privacy and shared experiences. From large villas to private resorts and tailored itineraries, we ensure every age group is considered.
Can you arrange special occasions such as honeymoons or milestone trips?
Yes. We design honeymoons, anniversaries, milestone birthdays and celebratory travel experiences with attention to detail and personalised touches.
Do you offer luxury family travel planning?
Yes. We specialise in luxury family travel, including child-friendly five-star resorts, private villas with staff, ski holidays and cultural trips designed around school holidays.
How much does it cost to use Escapes by BFP?
There is no cost to use Escapes by BFP. Our service is complimentary for customers, as we are paid commission by our trusted travel partners. You receive expert, personalised travel planning without any additional fees.
Can you book flights only?
Yes, we can arrange flights, but our clients typically choose us for complete travel planning including accommodation, transfers and experiences to ensure everything is aligned.
Do you offer villa rentals and private homes?
Yes. We work with trusted villa partners and can source luxury private villas worldwide, including fully staffed properties.
Can you arrange private jets or yacht charters?
Yes. Through our trusted global partners we can arrange private aviation and yacht charters as part of a wider itinerary.
How do you organise travel for a corporate event or conference?
We take a fully managed approach, handling everything from initial planning through to on-the-ground delivery. This includes sourcing flights, accommodation and transfers, building tailored itineraries, managing attendee bookings, and coordinating logistics so everything aligns seamlessly with your event schedule.
How can I manage all event travel in one place without multiple systems or spreadsheets?
We centralise everything into one streamlined process. Your event travel, attendee data, bookings and communications sit within a single workflow, removing the need for multiple trackers and giving you complete visibility at every stage.
Can event travel, accommodation and itineraries be managed together?
Yes, everything is handled as one connected experience. Travel, accommodation and itineraries are carefully aligned to create a clear, well-structured journey for every attendee from start to finish.
How can I see where all my event attendees are travelling from and when?
We provide clear, real-time reporting that shows where attendees are travelling from, along with arrival and departure times and key movements. This gives you full visibility for better planning and smoother on-site coordination.
How can I reduce the cost of group and event travel?
We combine strong supplier relationships with group rates and a strategic booking approach to secure the best possible value. By consolidating bookings and planning efficiently, we help reduce overall costs without compromising on quality or attendee experience.
What does a dedicated event travel partner actually handle for me?
We take ownership of the entire process, from sourcing and booking through to attendee management, communications, reporting and troubleshooting. It removes the operational pressure from your team and ensures nothing is missed.
How do you ensure a smooth travel experience for event attendees?
It comes down to clarity and consistency. Attendees receive structured itineraries, clear communication and ongoing support, so they always know where they need to be and when, reducing confusion and disruption.
What support is available if travel plans change during an event?
We provide responsive, real-time support throughout. If plans shift, delays happen or bookings need to change, we act quickly to resolve issues and keep everything moving with minimal disruption.
How is duty of care managed for large groups?
We maintain full visibility of traveller movements and ensure all bookings are tracked and supported. This means we can quickly identify and assist attendees if needed, giving you confidence that everyone is accounted for throughout the journey.
How can event travel be monitored and improved over time?
We provide post-event reporting and insights, including travel patterns, spend analysis and opportunities for improvement. This helps you refine your approach and make more informed decisions for future events.
How is touring travel different from corporate travel?
Touring travel runs on a completely different clock. Schedules shift at short notice, arrivals are often late at night or early morning, and entire teams move together from city to city. Flexibility, speed, and calm problem-solving matter far more than rigid policies. On tour, the show always comes first, and travel has to keep up.
What tools help touring teams manage complex schedules and routing?
Most touring teams use a mix of routing software, live shared documents, calendars, and real-time messaging platforms like WhatsApp. These tools allow quick decisions when schedules change, curfews slip, or routes are rerouted.
At Music First we work around how you already operate. Whether you’re running detailed tour books or lightweight live docs, we plug into your systems and workflows so information flows smoothly between production, crew, drivers, hotels, and suppliers.
How does duty of care work for touring crews and artists?
Duty of care on tour means ensuring crews and artists are supported, informed, and protected while working away from home in fast-moving, high-pressure environments. Touring schedules change quickly, working hours are long, and travel plans often shift at short notice, so duty of care has to be active, not reactive.
We support this through clear visibility of travel movements, careful accommodation planning, and fast communication when disruption or change occurs. When plans shift, we act quickly to reroute, rebook, or adjust arrangements so crews remain safe, rested, and where they need to be.
Alongside the operational side, we are strong advocates for physical and mental wellbeing on the road. Where appropriate, we can also connect the teams with trusted global support services.
What should production teams consider when planning travel for a tour?
In our experience, production teams need to plan and be prepared for change. That means building in flexibility around schedules, understanding long working hours, and managing the logistics of moving people and equipment efficiently between cities and countries.
Choosing the right hotel locations, allowing sensible rest windows, and working with partners who truly understand touring life can make a huge difference to how smoothly a tour runs.
Can you bill touring clients in different currencies?
Yes, we can bill in multiple currencies, including GBP, USD, and EUR. This is particularly helpful for international tours, US-based artists, and globally structured teams.
What experience does your team have in touring travel?
Across the team, we’ve been there and done it! Our team has over 70 years of combined experience working within the music and touring industries. We understand the pressure, the pace, and the level of detail required to keep a tour moving.
We see ourselves as an extension of your crew, not just a travel supplier. Calm heads, clear communication, and absolute reliability are what we bring to the table.
What calibre of artists do you work with?
We work across the full spectrum of the music industry. From emerging artists and first-time tours to DJs with fast-paced international schedules, through to arena and stadium-level artists.
No tour is too big and no tour is too small. Every customer receives the same level of care, attention, and respect for the demands of their schedule.
How do you source hotels suitable for touring crews and artists?
We take a specialist, relationship-led approach to hotel sourcing. We work with a trusted global network of entertainment-friendly hotels that understand touring life, from late check-ins and flexible layouts to privacy, security, and the right locations.
Our Head of Client & Supplier Partnerships is in constant conversation with hotel partners, staying close to new openings, refurbishments, and changes across key touring markets, so we can always recommend the most suitable options for each stop on the route.
Do you arrange ground transport between airports, hotels, and venues?
Yes, we arrange all ground transport, including airports, hotels, venues, rehearsals, and everything in between.
We work with trusted transport suppliers who understand the pace and complexity of touring, and we coordinate call times, routing, and movements so everything connects seamlessly from arrival through to load-out.
Is there 24/7 support while on tour?
Yes, we provide true 24/7 in-house support for our touring clients. We don’t outsource to third-party call centres, you’re supported by our own experienced team who know your tour, your people, and your priorities.
There are also no additional out-of-hours fees, the music industry isn’t 9–5, and neither are we.