Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Carlson Wagonlit Travel, also known as CWT, is a global provider of business travel management services that designs and oversees complete travel programmes for corporate clients. The company handles airline reservations, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, visa processing and travel policy enforcement as part of its core offering. In addition to travel logistics, CWT supplies meetings and events organisation, employee relocation assistance and integrated expense management solutions that connect with clients’ accounting systems. Its technology platform delivers real‑time itinerary updates, automated policy compliance checks and detailed analytics that help organisations monitor and optimise travel spend. CWT also provides travel risk management and duty‑of‑care services, offering alerts, tracking tools and support for travellers facing disruptions or emergencies. The firm serves a broad range of customers, including multinational corporations, mid‑size enterprises, government agencies and non‑governmental organisations that operate across various industries and regions.

CWT’s distinguishing attribute is its focus on consolidating travel, meetings and expense data into a single, actionable view for clients through proprietary analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities. The firm continuously develops predictive modelling tools that anticipate travel trends, suggest cost‑saving alternatives and improve policy adherence. A worldwide network of local experts supports the platform, supplying regional market knowledge, regulatory insight and supplier relationships that enhance service delivery. In July 2020, Carlson Wagonlit Travel suffered a ransomware attack that forced a temporary system‑wide shutdown and led to the reported payment of a $4.5 million Bitcoin ransom to restore access to encrypted data. The company stated that its forensic investigation uncovered no evidence that personal or traveler information had been compromised during the incident. Although CWT informed its corporate clients about the breach, UK authorities confirmed they had not received a mandatory breach notification at the time the incident was publicly reported.