New research from Expedia Group highlights strong optimism about the future of business travel, but also reveals that many travel management companies (TMCs) are uncertain about their ability to meet the rapidly evolving expectations of modern business travellers.
The findings, published in the report “The Future of Business Travel: Is Market Optimism Outpacing Capability?”, show that while industry leaders expect significant growth in corporate travel over the next three years, operational and technological challenges continue to limit confidence in delivering improved travel experiences.
Strong optimism about business travel recovery
According to the research, 95% of travel management company leaders expressed optimism about the outlook for business travel through 2029. The positive outlook is largely driven by growing demand for corporate travel and the continued return of structured company travel programs.
However, despite this positive sentiment, many companies believe they are not yet fully equipped to meet the changing expectations of business travellers.
Growing gap between traveler expectations and delivery
The report reveals a clear expectation–execution gap across several key areas of the business travel experience.
Business travellers increasingly expect:
- Blended trip planning (85%), allowing them to combine business and leisure travel
- Simpler booking processes (84%)
- Better loyalty rewards (83%)
- Personalised travel experiences (81%)
- Mobile booking capabilities (76%)
Despite recognising these priorities, only 30–40% of TMC leaders say they are very confident their organisations can currently deliver these services effectively.
Confidence levels are particularly lower among large travel management companies with more than 250 employees, where operational complexity often makes technology upgrades and system integration more difficult.
AI adoption accelerating across travel companies
The research also highlights a growing focus on artificial intelligence and advanced technology in the travel management sector.
According to the study:
- 100% of respondents reported adopting AI technologies
- 97% are investing in automation and real-time data analytics
However, fewer than half of the respondents believe their technology budgets are sufficient to support emerging digital capabilities. This suggests that industry ambition for innovation is currently outpacing available resources and infrastructure readiness.
Industry pressure to modernize travel platforms
Carolina Cabero, Senior Vice President of B2B at Expedia Group, noted that the sector is entering a period of both opportunity and pressure.
According to Cabero, travel companies understand what travellers expect but often lack the systems needed to deliver seamless experiences across booking, loyalty programs and personalized services.
Expedia Group is addressing these challenges through expanded technology offerings such as its B2B Rapid API platform, which helps travel companies integrate booking tools, data insights and AI-driven services into their systems.
Study methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide between November 26 and December 4, 2025. The study surveyed 214 senior decision-makers from travel management companies across multiple markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Australia, China, India and Japan.
Outlook for the future of business travel
The study suggests that while corporate travel demand is rebounding strongly, the next phase of growth will depend on how quickly travel companies modernise their technology platforms and improve the overall traveller experience.
As business travellers increasingly prioritise efficiency, personalization and flexibility, travel management companies will need to invest more aggressively in digital tools, AI integration and seamless booking ecosystems to remain competitive in the evolving travel industry
