ERP Software for Travel Agencies
Travel agencies and travel management companies (TMCs) operate as high-volume intermediaries where financial accuracy, commission tracking, supplier reconciliation, and BSP/ARC settlement are core operational competencies. ERP systems for travel agencies must handle airline and GDS settlement, client billing with complex itinerary-based invoicing, commission income recognition, and multi-currency supplier payables while providing the real-time financial visibility that rapid industry changes demand.
Compare ERP Systems for Travel Agencies
Select up to 4 ERP vendors to compare side by side. Filtered to show systems with strong travel agencies capabilities.
Key Challenges for Travel Agencies
Reconciling BSP and ARC airline settlement data with agency accounting systems accurately and on the required weekly settlement cycle
Tracking commission income from airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators across thousands of bookings with varying commission rates and payment timelines
Managing complex client invoicing for corporate travel accounts with multiple cost centers, travelers, and approval hierarchies
Controlling supplier payables and debtors across high transaction volumes with tight settlement deadlines and foreign currency exposures
Complying with IATA financial standards, bonding requirements, and accreditation criteria including minimum working capital and cash flow thresholds
Generating accurate management information to identify profitable versus unprofitable corporate accounts, booking channels, and travel categories
Adapting to dynamic changes in airline NDC (New Distribution Capability) settlement and commission structures that affect agency economics
Best Travel Agencies ERP for SMBs
Recommended for companies with $10M–$250M revenue and 10–200 employees.
Amadeus Mid-Office
mid-rangeIntegrated GDS mid-office solution for travel agencies automating ticketing, invoicing, and back-office reconciliation for Amadeus bookings
Best for: IATA travel agencies and TMCs primarily using Amadeus GDS seeking tight mid-office automation
Sabre ARC Settlement
mid-rangeSabre GDS agency back-office tools with ARC settlement integration, commission tracking, and reporting for US-based IATA agencies
Best for: US-based IATA travel agencies using Sabre GDS with ARC settlement needing automated reconciliation
Travelport Agency Analytics
mid-rangeTravelport mid-office and analytics platform for agencies using Galileo or Worldspan GDS with BSP/ARC settlement
Best for: Travel agencies using Travelport GDS seeking consolidated booking data and commission reporting
Sage Intacct
mid-rangeCloud financial management platform used by travel agencies for multi-entity accounting, commission income tracking, and client billing automation
Best for: Mid-size TMCs and travel agency groups needing robust accounting beyond what GDS back-office tools provide
NetSuite
mid-rangeFull-suite cloud ERP for travel agency groups with complex multi-currency, multi-entity, and service revenue recognition requirements
Best for: Growing travel agency groups and OTAs requiring scalable ERP with multi-entity consolidation
Tramada
mid-rangeTravel industry mid-office and accounting platform designed specifically for travel agencies with native BSP/ARC settlement and commission tracking
Best for: Mid-size leisure and corporate travel agencies seeking a dedicated travel-industry accounting platform with BSP/ARC integration
Best Travel Agencies ERP for Enterprise
Recommended for companies with $250M+ revenue and complex multi-site operations.
Oracle Hospitality OPERA Cloud
enterpriseEnterprise hospitality platform with travel program management capabilities for large corporate travel deployments
Best for: Large integrated travel and hospitality groups managing both agency and accommodation operations
SAP S/4HANA
enterpriseEnterprise ERP used by large TMCs and OTAs for complex financial management, supplier payables, and multi-currency treasury operations
Best for: Global TMCs and large OTAs requiring enterprise financial management with deep multi-currency and intercompany capabilities
Infor CloudSuite Hospitality
enterpriseCloud enterprise suite used by large travel and hospitality groups for unified financial and operational management
Best for: Large travel and hospitality conglomerates managing agency, hotel, and tour operations on one platform
Microsoft Dynamics 365
enterpriseEnterprise ERP with travel industry ISV extensions and strong CRM integration for large TMCs managing complex corporate travel programs
Best for: Large TMCs seeking unified ERP and CRM capabilities with deep Microsoft Power Platform integration
Essential ERP Capabilities for Travel Agencies
BSP and ARC airline settlement reconciliation with automated matching of billing data to ticketed transactions
Commission income tracking by supplier, booking type, and time period with accrual and cash basis reporting
Client invoicing with itinerary-based billing, cost center allocation, and corporate travel policy compliance documentation
Multi-currency accounts payable for international supplier payments with FX revaluation and gain/loss reporting
GDS back-office integration with Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport for automated booking data extraction
Client account management with credit limit monitoring, statement generation, and aged debtors reporting
Management reporting by account, booking channel, product type, and consultant productivity
IATA accreditation financial compliance monitoring including working capital ratios and bank guarantee tracking
Cruise, tour, and package costing with net rate and margin calculation for leisure products
Supplier contract management with negotiated rate tracking, override commission calculation, and preferred supplier reporting
Travel Agencies ERP Cost Ranges
SMB
$15,000–$70,000
5–20 users, single agency location
Implementation: $10,000–$50,000
Mid-Market
$70,000–$300,000
20–80 users, multi-location agency group
Implementation: $60,000–$300,000
Enterprise
$300,000–$2,000,000+
80+ users, global TMC or large OTA
Implementation: $400,000–$3,000,000+
Implementation Considerations
BSP and ARC settlement integration requires specialized configuration and testing with airline billing data before any financial reporting can be relied upon
Commission income recognition policy must be defined (booking date, travel date, or cash receipt) in consultation with auditors before chart of accounts design
GDS data extraction and mid-office automation setup requires coordination with GDS vendor technical teams and may require middleware development
Corporate client billing configuration for complex cost center hierarchies and approval workflows must be validated with key clients before go-live
IATA financial reporting requirements and any accreditation financial covenants must be built into ERP financial reporting templates from day one
Frequently Asked Questions
What is BSP settlement and why is it critical for travel agency ERP?
BSP (Billing and Settlement Plan) is IATA's multilateral system for settling airline ticket sales between travel agencies and airlines in most countries outside the US. Agencies report tickets sold during each settlement period and remit net amounts to airlines via a single BSP payment. Travel agency ERP must reconcile BSP billing data against ticketed transactions, manage the settlement cycle, and report accurately on agency remittances — any mismatch can trigger costly default procedures.
How do travel agencies track commission income in their ERP?
Travel agency ERP systems track commission income by recording the standard or negotiated commission rate at the time of booking and posting a commission income accrual. When airline commissions were eliminated by most carriers, commission income shifted to fees charged to clients. However, hotel, cruise, and tour operator commissions remain significant. Modern travel agency accounting platforms track commission by supplier, product type, and consultant and reconcile against supplier commission statements.
What is the difference between a GDS back-office tool and an ERP for travel agencies?
GDS back-office tools (such as Amadeus Agency Manager or Travelport Agency Analytics) automate the extraction of booking and ticketing data from the GDS and produce mid-office reports on sales, invoicing, and BSP/ARC reconciliation. A full ERP adds general ledger accounting, accounts payable, client accounts receivable, payroll, and financial statement production. Most mid-size travel agencies use both: a GDS back-office tool feeding data into a general-purpose accounting platform like Sage Intacct or NetSuite.
Which ERP is best for a corporate travel management company?
Mid-size TMCs commonly use Sage Intacct or NetSuite for financial management, paired with a GDS mid-office tool and a corporate travel management platform (such as Concur, Cytric, or KDS) for client self-booking and expense management. Large global TMCs including American Express GBT, BCD Travel, and CWT use custom enterprise platforms built around SAP or Oracle for their core financials. Smaller independent TMCs benefit from Tramada or similar travel-specialist accounting platforms.
How does travel agency ERP handle multi-currency transactions?
Multi-currency management is essential for travel agencies booking international travel. ERP platforms for travel agencies handle multi-currency by recording transactions in the booking currency, applying exchange rates at the transaction date, and revaluing open foreign currency balances at period end. FX gain and loss on airline ticket purchases, supplier payments, and client receivables is tracked and reported. Larger TMCs also manage currency hedging programs through treasury modules.
What are the IATA financial requirements that travel agency ERP must support?
IATA accredited agencies must maintain minimum working capital levels, satisfy cash remittance requirements to BSP, and in some countries maintain bank guarantees or letters of credit as financial security. Travel agency ERP systems must produce the financial statements and working capital calculations required for IATA financial review, generate documentation for bank guarantee renewal, and provide real-time liquidity monitoring to prevent accidental BSP defaults.
How does airline NDC affect travel agency ERP and accounting?
Airline NDC (New Distribution Capability) changes how agencies access and book airline content, moving from GDS-based EDIFACT distribution to direct airline API connections. From an ERP perspective, NDC affects how booking data flows into the back-office system, how settlement works (some NDC bookings settle directly with airlines rather than via BSP), and how ancillary revenue (bags, seats, meals) is itemized and billed to clients. Travel agency ERP systems must be updated to handle NDC booking data formats and direct settlement workflows.
Can travel agency ERP manage leisure packages and tour operations?
Yes. Travel agency ERP platforms that handle leisure packages and tour operations must support net rate costing (buying at net from suppliers and selling at a gross price to clients), package margin calculation, supplier deposit tracking and payment scheduling, and FIT (fully independent travel) client invoicing. Dedicated tour operator accounting platforms such as TourOps or specialized modules within Sage Intacct handle complex package costing workflows that generic ERP platforms require significant customization to replicate.
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