As we navigate the second half of 2025, the corporate travel landscape continues to evolve.
For travel management companies (TMCs), corporate travel departments, and corporations managing their own travel programs, staying ahead of these shifts is essential for maintaining competitiveness and maximizing value.
Here are the five trends that will define the rest of 2025—and how to turn them into competitive advantages for your travel program.
Key Takeaways
As corporate travel programs grow in complexity, the days of fragmented platforms and disconnected workflows are fast disappearing.
In 2025, the most efficient TMCs and travel departments are consolidating their tools into unified ecosystems—eliminating operational silos and streamlining the traveler experience.
Instead of juggling separate systems for booking, expense management, duty of care, and reporting, companies are demanding cohesive platforms that connect the full travel journey.
Why? Because it drives serious efficiency. From trip planning to reconciliation, integrated systems enable faster approvals, tighter compliance, and cleaner data. It also means less frustration for travelers—and fewer support calls for travel managers.
This trend reflects what many travel leaders already know: disconnected systems create costly blind spots. Unified travel platforms provide end-to-end visibility that allows for smarter supplier negotiations, real-time spend tracking, and enhanced risk oversight. It’s no longer a luxury to have these systems speak to one another—it’s a competitive necessity.
If your current program relies on pieced-together solutions, now is the time to re-evaluate.
Look for a global travel alliance that delivers true platform integration across air, hotel, and ground transportation—while preserving the flexibility you need to customize your program. The result? Less friction, stronger governance, and a travel program that runs like a well-oiled machine.
Today’s business travelers expect more—and they’re not afraid to make it known. In 2025, travel programs that prioritize the traveler experience are gaining a new edge in the competition for talent, retention, and performance.
Comfort, convenience, and flexibility are no longer perks—they’re performance drivers. That’s why leading travel managers are building policies and programs that empower employees to travel well without compromising control. From flexible booking options to upgraded amenities and smart itineraries that reduce burnout, traveler-centric programs are proving that experience and efficiency can go hand-in-hand.
As Business Travel News reports, travel is increasingly viewed through the lens of employee well-being. The rise of “bleisure” options, wellness-focused hotel offerings, and travel fatigue reduction tactics all point to a future where the traveler is at the center of program design.
And it's not just about making travelers happy—it’s about making programs better. Travelers who feel supported are more likely to comply with policies, book through preferred channels, and provide post-trip insights that improve program performance.
For TMCs and corporate travel departments, the message is clear: deliver a seamless, comfortable experience, and you'll earn more than just traveler satisfaction—you’ll build a program that drives loyalty, compliance, and long-term value.
The days of annual hotel RFP cycles may be fading. Rates are no longer negotiated just once a year. This limited flexibility makes it difficult to adapt to market changes during the contract period.
In 2025, however, successful corporate hotel programs embrace continuous sourcing and dynamic rate management strategies that respond to market conditions in real-time.
Leading TMCs and travel departments now maintain a core set of strategically negotiated static rates. These are further supplemented by dynamic discount structures and targeted promotions. For instance, you might negotiate rates based on volume commitments, but also be permitted to benefit from travel programs when market rates drop.
This hybrid approach provides the predictability of traditional programs with the flexibility needed to capture value in today's volatile market.
The most successful programs also extend beyond rate negotiations to include value-added benefits that enhance the traveler experience while addressing duty of care requirements.
From flexible cancellation policies to enhanced Wi-Fi access and health-focused amenities, these benefits often deliver more meaningful value than modest rate reductions.
This approach represents a shift from the traditional "set it and forget it" annual negotiations to a more active, responsive management style that requires ongoing monitoring and adjustment. Something more befitting of business travel in 2025.
When evaluating a hotel program, seek out one that bridges the gap between traditional and dynamic approaches, providing members with access to both negotiated static rates and dynamic discounts across its global network of preferred suppliers. Even better if your global travel alliance delivers real-time market intelligence, so you can make informed decisions about when to leverage each rate type for maximum value.
As global business travel continues rebounding, duty of care has emerged as a defining priority for corporate travel programs in 2025.
However, the focus has shifted from basic tracking capabilities to comprehensive ecosystems that effortlessly integrate risk management into the entire travel journey.
Today's leading programs incorporate pre-trip risk assessments, real-time health and safety alerts, and post-trip analysis into unified platforms that provide true visibility across all travel components.
This integration enables proactive risk management rather than the reactive response that many TMCs and corporate travel departments resign themselves to.
Integrated duty of care necessitates partnerships with global suppliers and technology providers that offer robust capabilities.
The most successful programs extend these protections across all travel categories, including traditionally frustrating areas you’re all too familiar with: ground transportation and international accommodations.
Leading global travel alliances use an integrated approach. Duty of care should connect risk management tools with hotel, air, and ground transportation programs.
A truly comprehensive coverage will ensure your travelers receive consistent protection regardless of destination or supplier, while providing travel managers with the centralized visibility needed for effective oversight.
Corporate sustainability commitments have evolved from aspirational statements to concrete accountability measures.
In 2025, environmental impact is no longer a secondary consideration but a primary factor in program design and supplier selection. More and more people want sustainability taken seriously in business travel.
Leading TMCs and travel departments have latched onto this, now incorporating sustainability metrics into performance dashboards, tracking carbon emissions with the same rigor as traditional financial measures.
This shift extends beyond just air travel to encompass hotel stays, ground transportation, and even meeting venues.
The reality is: Everything we do has an environmental impact.
Importantly, this trend isn't about eliminating business travel but optimizing its value relative to environmental impact. The most successful programs identify high-value trips that justify in-person interaction while leveraging virtual alternatives for routine meetings. Meaningful client interactions don’t only take place in person.
The right global alliance will include suppliers committed to measurable sustainability practices, giving members access to environmentally responsible options without sacrificing program performance.
They’ll make it easier for you to make the right choice. For instance, this can include built-in carbon tracking and reporting capabilities that simplify environmental impact management while meeting increasingly stringent corporate reporting requirements. Ask about their environmental commitment before accepting them into your supply chain family.
One more trend reshaping corporate travel in 2025 is the convergence of booking, payment, and expense processes into a single workflow.
What was once a fragmented process has turned into a cohesive experience. Everything is in one place or process, through virtual payment solutions, embedded expense capture, and automated reconciliation.
For travelers, this integration means the end of manual expense reports and out-of-pocket payments.
For travel managers, it means delivering enhanced visibility, improved policy compliance, and significant time savings through automation. You no longer have to fuss at people over missing receipts and requests for additional documentation. And you have greater visibility into real-time spending.
The most successful TMCs and travel departments leverage these capabilities to capture comprehensive spending data, including traditionally challenging categories like meals and incidental expenses. This enhanced visibility enables more effective supplier negotiations and program optimization.
Now you can connect previously scattered processes into a pain-free workflow. Here are just a few corporate travel trends you’ve been wanting for a long time, and are finally here.
Not all corporate travel alliances are offering these features, yet. So, when you’re looking around for your new partner, be sure they can offer you an integration that extends across their hotel, air, and ground transportation programs, eliminating process gaps while maintaining the controls corporate travel managers require.
There’s no question that artificial intelligence is making waves in the corporate travel space—but it’s important to separate the hype from the reality.
While AI is not yet powering fully autonomous trip planning or real-time contextual decision-making for most travel programs, we are seeing steady and meaningful progress in the ways AI is improving traveler experience and program efficiency.
Today’s most forward-looking TMCs and travel departments are just beginning to deploy AI to handle tasks like:
These enhancements may not feel futuristic, but they offer real value—saving time, boosting compliance, and improving traveler satisfaction in subtle but important ways.
More advanced AI applications—like dynamic itinerary generation based on meeting schedules or predictive personalization across travel segments—are on the horizon. Some platforms have begun experimenting with these tools, but broad adoption remains limited for now.
As this technology evolves, the key for TMCs and travel departments is to lay the groundwork. That means working with partners who are actively investing in AI infrastructure—not just branding existing features with an “AI” label.
Look for a travel alliance that’s preparing for what’s next while delivering tangible benefits today.
The most successful programs require the right combination of supplier relationships, technology capabilities, and program expertise.
Hickory Global Partners offers your TMC or travel department precisely that. We understand the pressures you face—maximizing savings while delivering exceptional service, integrating technology without friction, managing staffing gaps, and driving revenue in a competitive market.
We secure exclusive rates for you with leading suppliers to deliver guaranteed ROI, while our Hickory Solutions365 team handles back-office demands 24/7—transforming your operations into profit engines that outpace competitors.
You’ll enjoy unparalleled negotiated discounts, bespoke technology, and industry-leading support that empowers you to stay ahead of industry shifts. Our comprehensive approach addresses both current needs and emerging trends.
For corporate travel agencies, travel departments, and corporations seeking to transform their travel programs from cost centers into competitive advantages, Hickory offers a strategic partnership that delivers measurable value across all travel categories. We turn your services and products into profit engines.
Contact our team today to discover how Hickory membership can help your organization navigate these trends and position your travel program for success in 2025 and beyond. Become a member.