Citi Testing Traveler-Tracking Tool With Two TMCs

Corporate card issuer Citi has started a pilot with two unnamed travel management companies to supply them with management information for traveler-tracking purposes.

The data will allow companies to pinpoint travelers more precisely in an emergency because, for instance, they may change their travel plans after booking their trip with their TMC. Card information can be used to establish the hotel at which a traveler checked in, and at what time, and even the restaurant where they ate.

"We can find out from a TMC which airport the traveler was booked to fly to, but not whether they actually flew in there, or whether they checked into a hotel 100 miles away," said Vincent Eavis, U.K.-based managing director of cards for Citi. "Actioned rather than booked data is much more powerful, and we can register their hotel stay even before they check out, because we receive an authorization message when they check in. The information comes in pretty much real time."

The two TMCs with which Citi is working have received permission from a small number of clients to test their data flow. Citi envisions TMCs pulling data for travelers about whom there are concerns in the event of an emergency. Eavis said the system complies with data-protection laws because travelers sign a data subject consent form when they sign for a new card.