Business travel is entering one of the most interesting periods our industry has seen in decades. AI is accelerating at an incredible pace. Hotel retailing is evolving. Traveler expectations continue to rise. And companies are asking more from their travel programs than ever before.
Yet despite all of this innovation, many travel managers still face the same daily frustrations they’ve dealt with for years: fragmented systems, disconnected data, inconsistent servicing across regions, and travelers who feel like the consumer experience is somehow still better outside the managed program.
That tension is exactly what stood out in the latest GBTA research report that Direct Travel developed in partnership with Marriott and Spotnana.
The findings paint a very clear picture. Innovation is accelerating and expectations are rising, but the underlying infrastructure supporting many travel programs has not kept pace.
And that gap is becoming harder to ignore.
AI Is Generating Excitement, But Infrastructure Still Matters
One of the most striking findings in the research is that 58% of travel buyers say AI has had little or no impact on their travel program so far. At first glance, that may sound surprising given how much conversation there is around AI right now.
But when you look deeper, the story becomes much more interesting.
Travel managers are not resistant to AI. In fact, they are overwhelmingly interested in:
- AI-driven policy recommendations (95%)
- Automated disruption management and rebooking (89%)
- AI-powered traveler support (85%)
- Conversational booking experiences (83%)
The issue is readiness, not enthusiasm. AI is only as effective as the systems, workflows, and data underneath it. If travel data lives across disconnected platforms, regional configurations, third-party tools, and inconsistent servicing environments, AI cannot deliver on its full promise. You cannot create intelligent, personalized, real-time travel experiences on top of fragmented infrastructure.
The Real Challenge Facing Global Travel Programs
Another finding from the research deserves attention: 61% of global travel buyers say managing travel across regions is a moderate or major challenge. The biggest pain points cited are:
- Lack of consolidated reporting
- Different booking environments by region
- Multiple traveler profiles by market
- Inconsistent traveler support
- Managing multiple TMC relationships
Perhaps most telling of all, only 12% of global travel programs say they have a consolidated view of their travel program from a single data source.
That statistic says a lot about where the industry is today. Many travel programs have spent years layering new technologies on top of older systems and regional processes. The result is often more complexity, not less. Travel managers are being asked to deliver:
- Enhanced traveler experiences
- Faster response times
- More personalization
- Stronger reporting
- Improved duty of care
- Better cost control
But many are doing so while operating across disconnected systems that were never designed to work together globally in real time.
The Future Is About Connected Travel
The next phase of managed travel highlights the importance of creating connected travel ecosystems where servicing, policy, content, traveler profiles, disruption management, and analytics operate together seamlessly. That is where AI becomes transformative.
When infrastructure is unified:
- Travelers receive more relevant recommendations
- Service teams operate with shared context
- Reporting is more reliable
- Policy becomes more dynamic
- Disruption management is faster and more proactive
Most importantly, travel managers gain something many have been missing for years — clarity.
Travelers Are Asking for Better Experiences
The hotel retailing portion of the research reinforces that travelers increasingly expect the same level of transparency and personalization they experience elsewhere in digital commerce.
One of the top frustrations cited by travel managers is travelers saying: “I found it cheaper somewhere else.”
This is not just a pricing issue. Often, it is a transparency problem. Traditional booking displays do not always help travelers understand the full value of what they are booking. Amenities, flexibility, room attributes, and add-ons are often disconnected from the shopping experience itself.
New hotel retailing models have the potential to change that by creating richer, more transparent shopping experiences directly within managed channels. This matters because improving the managed experience is one of the most effective ways to improve compliance, visibility, and traveler satisfaction simultaneously.
Technology Alone Is Not Enough
One final finding from the report is particularly notable. When asked to evaluate the importance of technology versus servicing in selecting a TMC partner, buyers split the difference almost evenly:
- 54% technology
- 46% servicing
That is an important reminder for the industry. The future is not technology or service. It is technology and service working together in a more connected way. AI shouldn’t replace human care, it should strengthen it.
The most successful travel programs moving forward will be the ones that combine modern infrastructure, intelligent automation, and exceptional human support into a single connected experience. That is how we move closer to the “Perfect Business Trip.” And increasingly, that is what travelers and travel managers will expect.
Learn more about the latest GBTA research by downloading your copy of the report, Innovation and the “Perfect Business Trip”: AI, TMC Innovation, and Hotel Retailing.
