This is according to new research from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), in partnership with Spotnana, Marriott International and Direct Travel, based on a March survey of corporate travel buyers across the U.S., Canada and Europe. The report examines how innovation is shaping business travel while also pointing to key persistent barriers that are slowing industry progress.
More than half of travel buyers (58%) say AI has had little or no impact on their program to date, while 61% report challenges managing global travel programs and 72% cite hotel booking pricing disparities as a major pain point.
“Business travel is entering a period of meaningful transformation,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA. “What’s clear from this research is that innovation—particularly in AI, data and retailing—will be essential to closing the gap between what is possible and what travel programs experience today.”
AI is emerging as a key driver of change in business travel, even as adoption remains in its early stages.
While 58% of travel buyers say AI has had little or no impact on their programs to date, interest in AI-driven capabilities is widespread. Travel managers are particularly focused on applications that streamline operations and improve decision-making, including:
- 92%: predictive analytics for travel spend forecasting
- 89%: automated disruption management and rebooking
- 85%: AI-powered traveler support
- 83%: conversational booking experiences
In addition, buyers are comfortable with various AI use cases within managed corporate travel. More travel buyers say they are more “comfortable” than “uncomfortable” with every use case tested, reflecting confidence in AI as the technology continues to mature.
- Buyers who say they are comfortable recommending negotiated rates-based flights and hotel (95%) and generating custom reports (92%).
- Fewer buyers report being comfortable with accessing employee calendars to recommend flights and hotels (64%) and changing or canceling a booking (57%).
Taken together, the findings point to a clear opportunity: As capabilities evolve and adoption expands, AI is well positioned to play a central role in enhancing both efficiency and traveler experience, according to the organization.
“The industry is moving toward more dynamic and personalized travel experiences, which creates tremendous opportunity for travelers and suppliers,” said Christal Bemont, CEO, Direct Travel. “But it also increases the importance of connected infrastructure that can bring together content, policy, servicing and data in a way that remains manageable for global enterprises.”
The research highlights persistent challenges for travel buyers in managing global travel programs, driven largely by fragmented technology and data ecosystems.
Of the global buyers, 61% said managing travel across regions is a challenge. Only 12% have a consolidated view of their program from a single data source, underscoring widespread data fragmentation.
Top challenges reported by global travel managers include:
- Lack of consolidated reporting (63%)
- Inconsistent traveler support (60%)
- Managing multiple travel management company (TMC) relationships (52%)
Data fragmentation continues to limit visibility and performance optimization, while variability in service delivery impacts the traveler experience.
At the same time, buyers emphasize the need to balance technology and service. When evaluating TMC partners, they allocate nearly equal importance to technology (54%) and servicing (46%), with 26% saying servicing is the more important factor.
These findings reinforce that while innovation is accelerating, technology must complement—not replace—the human element of travel management, according to GBTA.
Hotel distribution is also undergoing a shift, as new retailing models continue to reshape how content is presented and how travelers make booking decisions. While traditional global distribution systems (GDSs) continue to play a foundational role, buyers are increasingly interested in more flexible, transparent and personalized booking experiences.
A key challenge remains: 72% of buyers say their travelers’ ability to find cheaper hotel options outside managed channels is their top pain point, highlighting ongoing issues with content, pricing and perceived value.
New retailing models are creating opportunities to improve the booking experience.
- More than half (51%) of buyers say attribute-based shopping would improve the hotel booking experience. Employees might be able to select a specific room during the booking process. For instance, they might choose a room on a higher floor for safety reasons—or a room with a view. Today, these requests are often made manually after booking.
- Strong interest in purchasing add-ons—such as breakfast, early check-in, late checkout and parking—through the online booking tool (OBT)/TMC during the booking process
These capabilities reflect a broader shift toward retail-style experiences that provide greater clarity into pricing and value. By enabling travelers to view and compare the “full cost” of a stay upfront, these models can help reduce friction, improve decision-making and enhance satisfaction.
For organizations, this shift also enables better visibility into traveler behavior and spend, supporting improved policy alignment, cost control and supplier strategy.
