Leakage. It’s an unpleasant word in any context—but in travel, “hotel commission leakage” might be the most frustrating kind. These are the earned commissions that, for one reason or another, never make it back to the agency that booked the stay. For most travel advisors, it’s a dull, familiar pain—one that quietly eats into profits, month after month.
In 2023, an agent told Travel Weekly that they spend up to 20 hours per month chasing down unpaid hotel commissions—on as much as 20 to 40 percent of their bookings. Multiply that across an industry that saw an estimated $75 billion in hotel commission payouts last year, and you begin to see the scale. Even if only 20 percent goes unpaid initially, that’s $15 billion stuck in limbo. At 40 percent, it’s double that.
Even with all the technological progress in booking tools and automation, gaps remain.
On its own website, Sabrereported that, after agencies implement its Agency Managed Commission solution, they capture “more than 90% of front-end commissions.” That’s a strong result, but it still leaves up to 10%—roughly $7.5 billion—untracked or unpaid when applied to the industry’s total payout volume.
For travel agencies, that means lost income and countless hours spent chasing what’s already been earned. For companies such as Commtrak, it’s motivation.
Commtrak commission recovery (Photo Credit: Commtrak)
Reinventing a Legacy Partner
Commtrak has been quietly recovering hotel commissions for North American travel agencies for nearly 40 years. That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by accident—it comes from adapting. But in recent years, as agency operations modernized and data complexity grew, the company recognized a need for reinvention.
“This is more than a new logo or website refresh,” said Marci Broumas, Director of Operations at Commtrak. “We’ve upgraded nearly every area of the business to recover commissions faster and more efficiently for more agencies than ever before.”
That upgrade has been comprehensive. Commtrak built a secure, proprietary system for managing records, invoicing and payments. It tripled the size of its data and recovery teams, revamped payment infrastructure for faster ACH transfers, and shifted from quarterly to monthly payouts.
The result? A 95% revenue increase for existing clients and the capacity to serve many more without compromising quality.
But what makes this transformation meaningful isn’t just the technology—it’s the mindset behind it. Commtrak didn’t modernize to automate away its human touch; it modernized to amplify it.
Turning Lost Revenue Into Cash Flow
Recovering old commissions is one of the least glamorous parts of running a travel business. It’s detail-heavy, time-consuming and, for many agencies, simply not worth the effort.
Commtrak’s model flips that equation.
By blending advanced data tools with human persistence and a partnership-based tone, the company turns what used to be an operational burden into steady, reliable cash flow.
“We realized we spend more time talking to hotels than even the agencies we represent,” said Ben Peckham, Business Development Manager at Commtrak. “So we approach every contact as a collaboration, not a confrontation. We’re here to make the reconciliation process easier for everyone.”
That people-first philosophy is part of why Commtrak’s modernization feels holistic, not just technical. The systems may be new, but the commitment to personal service—the quiet persistence that gets results—remains the same.
Don’t waste time tracking lost commission. (Photo Credit: Commtrak)
The New Standard for an Old Problem
In an era when so many businesses chase efficiency through automation, Commtrak’s story stands out for balancing innovation with experience. The company didn’t just plug in new software; it rebuilt how a legacy service operates, from data systems to payment cycles to client communication.
And the timing couldn’t be better.
As agencies work to tighten margins and reclaim every earned dollar, commission recovery is becoming less of a back-office afterthought and more of a strategic necessity. Even with advances from GDS providers and accounting platforms, billions still slip through the cracks. Commtrak’s transformation shows what’s possible when a legacy company fully commits to modernization—without losing the human connection that made it valuable in the first place.
Because in the end, modernization isn’t just about technology. It’s about trust, transparency, and the ability to turn what once felt like leakage into lasting strength.
To learn more or enroll, visit commtrak.com/get-started.
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