6 key takeaways from the recent Business Travel Trends & Forecasts Asia Pacific

Nearly 50 corporate travel buyers collectively responsible for buying/managing over $6.4 billion in travel annually registered to attend the BTN Group’s 2nd Annual Business Travel Trends & Forecasts Asia Pacific conference in Singapore last month. With attendees representing Australia, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore, the day provided a forum for insight and information on the latest industry trends, as well as an opportunity to hear about best practices from some of the region’s leading travel buyers.

Key messages from the day included:

It’s (Potentially) a Travel Buyer’s Market for TMC Services – There is intense competition from travel management companies for the travel buyer’s business, with offers of new models, fee structures and technology solutions. While the corporate/TMC relationship has always been about more than costs, buyers should be aligned with their internal stakeholders on what is most important to them moving forward to ensure that what the TMC can offer aligns with their business.

Corporate Air Programs Have Changed Significantly – With 76% of travel buyers in attendance reporting that changes in how their corporations travel (e.g. few trips) as the top reason why the airline/corporate relationship has shifted (and not always for the better), the pre-2020 air program is no more. Changes in distribution models, content availability, fewer corporate discounts and other traveler perks require corporates to reexamine how they structure their preferred carrier agreements.

Travel Risks are Numerous – Global conflicts, geopolitical tensions, climate change, criminal activity and cyber threats all pose a threat to business travel. Having an up-to-date travel risk assessment and access to travel safety technology is a must-have for all corporations.

Celebrate Small Sustainability Wins – Nearly every company has sustainability goals which impact the corporate travel program and meeting those goals requires immense collaboration across the ecosystem. While this is complex (and expensive!), instead of feeling overwhelmed, it is important to know that it’s ok to start small and celebrate small successes. Progress should be valued over perfection.

AI Isn’t New and It’s Here to Stay – Every sector of the business travel industry has been using AI for some time but it’s capturing the industry’s attention in new ways. Travel buyers should be asking all their travel suppliers how AI can be used to make their job easier, improve processes and most of all, improve the end-to-end experience for their travelers. They also should be looking at how they might be able to use AI internally to manage and communicate about their programs.

Travel and Meetings are Intertwined – Whether you manage just travel, just meetings or some combination of both, the intersection of travel and meetings cannot be ignored. The increase in internal team travel and the planning of internal summits requires those who have traditionally only managed travel to consider leveraging meetings management strategies to improve travel programs.

Interested in joining the conversation about corporate travel insights, introspection and innovation? Join the BTN Group for the inaugural Business Travel Show Asia Pacific, April 16-17, 2025, at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore for two full days of buyer-driven conference content.