Travel is rarely a cheap endeavor. There are a lot of costs that tend to increase your overhead, and corporate travel is no exception. Planning an affordable corporate trip can therefore be a hellish experience. You have to keep a lot of variables in mind, ensuring that the trip goes on without a hitch and is productive, all the while minding the budget. It's tough for anyone to do by himself. It may seem like a no-win situation, but some steps can be taken to trim off all the unnecessary expenses and save on costs. Here are a few stellar tips from CrewFacilites.com on just how you could do that. Plan Ahead. All successful undertakings begin with a plan, and a good one too. Planning is especially crucial for corporate travel, seeing as a lot of variables have to be considered. CrewFacilites advises you to make sure all your booking is done in advance, or invest in corporate travel management services, which we can gladly provide. Planning gives you a lot more choice when it comes to seating and accommodation. It's all about overcoming the human mindset of rushing in at the last minute. You'll get better seats in the flight, better hotel rooms, and better meeting venues. Plus, you'll have loads of time to make any changes depending on how your budget grows or shrinks. Watch Your Flight Costs. Flight tickets account for a large percentage of travel costs, and you can enjoy reduced expenses if steps are taken to reduce these costs. Booking in advance, for instance, helps secure better deals on flights and ultimately cuts costs. Promotions and discounts are especially useful, and they can be picked and used through travel management software or plain old word of mouth. Be flexible with your choice of seating too. The goal is to optimize all your bookings so you don't go over budget. Or, as CrewFacilities advises, you could opt for the old school way and exploit your frequent flier miles. They've been getting people discounts on flights for years, and they'll work for you too. Be Smart With Your Hotel Costs. Your room and board costs will depend on the hotel and type of rooms the employees will be staying. You have to be pretty vigilant here. If the choice of accommodation is in the employee's hands, set up a strict but reasonable budget. CrewFacilities states, though, that it would be much more useful to employ a corporate travel management company like Andrea Tsakanikas and her team at CrewFacilities.com. This way, factors such as distance from airport, hotel and meeting venues will be considered, and you'll end up saving a bunch on transport costs. A travel management company will also make sure the employees are provided with all they need for a fun and productive trip. Make Sure Employees are Cost-Conscious. At least 90% of travelers spend more when they're traveling on business, and all these expenses ultimately end up on the company's tab. That's why you must set a realistic budget and insist that your employees spend wisely during the trip. Travel management companies like CrewFacilites can use tools like the CrewFacts App to look at all the variables and give you a projected figure that would cover all the costs. This enables you to set a budget with all the variables in mind while ensuring the employees stay comfortable and are productive. Corporate travel doesn't have to be stressful and expensive. With these CrewFacilities tips on how to reduce corporate travel costs, you'll be sure to have a fun, cost-effective and productive trip.