Travel Management Systems (TMS)
🌍 Travel Management Systems (TMS) vs. OTAs: What Every Vacation Rental Manager Should Know
Most vacation rental managers are familiar with Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com — platforms that fall under the category of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).
The corporate travel industry is responsible for $1.4 trillion, yes TRILLION per year. and the TMS systems control around $700 billion per year. Welcome to the world of Travel Management Systems (TMS) — the backbone of global corporate and business travel.
Context vs. Airbnb/VRBO
- Airbnb GBV (2023): ~$73B
- Vrbo est. GBV: ~$20B
- All vacation rental OTAs combined: <$120B
- Corporate travel (TMS-controlled): ~$700B+ annually
Corporate travel is 10 x larger than the entire vacation rental OTA market today.
🤝 Meet the Platforms Powering Global Business Travel
Travel Management Systems are the platforms Fortune 500 companies use to book, manage, and report all employee travel — from flights and hotels to extended-stay lodging. Livily is one of the first vacation rental platforms integrated with major TMS systems, making professionally managed rentals available to enterprise travelers for the first time.
Connected Partners:
✅ Amex GBT
✅ CWT
✅ Egencia
✅ Serko (Zeno)
✅ Booking.com for Business
Through these integrations, Livily connects verified property managers directly to corporate trave
🚨 Why This Matters
Corporate travel isn’t limited to executives in suits anymore.
Demand now comes from:
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Traveling nurses and medical staff
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Government and military contractors
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Film and production crews
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Consultants and relocation clients
At the center of all this activity are the TMS booking systems used by enterprise travel departments — the systems that manage compliance, duty of care, and approved vendor networks.
This market is:
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💰 4x larger than the entire Vrbo marketplace
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🧾 Policy-controlled and expense-integrated
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🛡️ Focused on traveler safety and verified accommodations
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🔒 Inaccessible to individual hosts — unless you work through a certified partner
🧠 How Travel Management Systems Differ from OTAs
| Feature | OTAs (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com) | Corporate Travel Platforms (Amex GBT, CWT, Egencia, etc.) |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Open marketplace | Closed, invite-only networks |
| Audience | General public | Employees of approved companies |
| Policy Controls | None | Strict company policy enforcement |
| Expense Management | Manual receipts | Automated reporting and compliance |
| Supplier Onboarding | Anyone can list | Only verified, vetted suppliers |
| Traveler Safety | User discretion | Centralized duty of care systems |
Bottom line: Employees at major corporations cannot book on Airbnb or Vrbo for business trips if their company mandates travel through a managed TMS platform — and most do.
🌐 Livily: Your Gateway to $700B in Corporate Travel
Livily is one of the first vacation rental platforms integrated with major TMS systems, making professionally managed rentals available to enterprise travelers for the first time.
Connected Partners:
✅ Amex GBT
✅ CWT
✅ Egencia
✅ Serko (Zeno)
✅ Booking.com for Business
Through these integrations, Livily connects verified property managers directly to corporate travel demand — unlocking a new category of bookings that was previously off-limits.
❌ Why You Can’t Do This Alone
Corporate travel systems do not onboard individual hosts or small operators.
To participate, platforms must meet strict compliance and technology standards, including:
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Platform-level certifications and security audits
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Secure data exchange and API integrations
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Verified supplier contracts and legal indemnifications
Even if your property is listed on Booking.com, that does not mean it appears on Booking.com for Business or Amex GBT.
That’s where Livily comes in — we bridge that gap on your behalf.
🎯 What This Means for Property Managers
If your properties are:
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Professionally managed
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In corporate or extended-stay markets
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Consistently well-rated and reliable
You are missing out on a massive, recurring revenue channel.
With Livily, you can:
✅ Access Fortune 500 travel budgets
✅ Compete for high-value corporate and relocation stays
✅ Offer flexible, policy-compliant lodging
✅ Gain exposure through trusted global booking networks
🔑 Getting Started
Livily handles all the heavy lifting:
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PMS integration and sync
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Corporate compliance and credentialing
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Distribution across all major TMS networks
You simply continue doing what you do best — providing exceptional guest experiences.
👉 Ready to Expand Beyond OTAs?
Join the fastest-growing B2B lodging network built for the next era of travel.