GBTA Convention 2026 Reveals How Travel Buyers Are Leading the AI Revolution and Transforming Corporate Travel

Written By: Pappu Mazumder

Pappu Mazumder

I bring a journalist’s perspective to the travel and tourism industry, contributing to Travel and Tour World through engaging storytelling, industry insights, and creative ideas. I focus on exploring emerging trends, highlighting key developments, and sharing meaningful stories that connect the global travel community while inspiring curiosity, innovation, and discovery.

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August 28, 2026 10:40 PM

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Technology, partnerships, and internal factors of influence are the main drivers of change in the area of corporate travel management. Travel buyers play a much more proactive role in shaping the future than in the past. Over 470 participants of the interactive Buyer Buzz session at GBTA Convention 2026 revealed that travel buyers have gone from just being open to change to being the primary influencers of change.

The live polling results highlighted a travel industry that remains optimistic about artificial intelligence, values strong supplier collaboration and recognises that the biggest challenges are no longer only external. Instead, travel professionals are focusing on managing organisational change, improving decision-making and ensuring technology supports human expertise rather than replacing it.

The findings reflect a profession moving beyond traditional travel management responsibilities. Modern buyers are becoming strategic business partners who influence company policies, drive innovation and connect travel programmes with wider corporate goals.

Artificial Intelligence Becomes a Strategic Tool While Buyers Maintain Control

Artificial intelligence has moved rapidly from a future concept to an everyday reality for travel professionals. More than 78% of participants in the Buyer Buzz session said they are already highly engaged with generative AI, showing how quickly the technology has entered corporate travel operations.

However, while adoption is increasing, travel buyers remain cautious about giving AI complete control. A significant 92% of respondents believe artificial intelligence will make their roles more strategic rather than replace their jobs. This indicates growing confidence that AI will enhance human decision-making by improving efficiency, analysing information and supporting smarter travel management.

The biggest concern among buyers is not the environmental impact of artificial intelligence but the accuracy of information produced by these systems. Around 64% identified incorrect information and AI hallucinations as their primary concern. This highlights the importance of reliability, data quality and human oversight as companies integrate AI into travel programmes.

The future role of AI in travel policy enforcement also remains under discussion. While 51% of buyers believe AI should automatically enforce travel policies, nearly half prefer a more advisory approach where technology recommends the best options while humans retain final decision-making authority.

The results demonstrate that travel professionals view AI as a powerful advantage, but they are carefully considering the level of control technology should have within business travel operations.

Internal Influence Emerges as the Biggest Challenge for Travel Professionals

While technology continues to reshape the travel sector, buyers identified organisational influence as one of their greatest challenges. According to the survey results, 57% of participants said influencing internal stakeholders is more difficult than changing traveller behaviour, which was selected by 43%.

This shift reflects the expanding role of travel managers within organisations. Today’s professionals are expected not only to manage bookings, suppliers and costs but also to secure support from executives, align travel policies with company objectives and demonstrate the wider value of travel programmes.

Change management has become one of the most important skills for success in the industry. Nearly 78% of respondents selected change management as the most valuable capability for modern travel professionals, significantly ahead of commercial thinking, which received 22% support.

The findings show that the future of travel management will depend heavily on communication, leadership and the ability to guide organisations through periods of rapid transformation.

Innovation is also increasingly being driven from within companies. Around 64% of buyers said internal business requirements are the main source of innovation, rather than external market trends. This suggests that travel programmes are evolving primarily because organisations themselves are demanding greater efficiency, flexibility and strategic value.

Travel Buyers Seek Long-Term Supplier Partnerships Over Short-Term Competition

The relationship between travel buyers and suppliers is also changing. Participants strongly supported collaboration and long-term partnerships rather than transactional relationships focused only on competition.

An overwhelming 92% of buyers said the strongest supplier relationships are built through long-term cooperation, while only 8% preferred competitive tension as the main driver of improvement.

The results indicate that travel professionals increasingly value suppliers who understand business goals, provide strategic support and work together to solve complex challenges.

However, buyers also believe innovation should not be driven solely by suppliers. More than three-quarters of respondents, around 77%, said innovation moves faster when buyers push suppliers to improve rather than when suppliers challenge buyers.

This reflects a growing confidence among travel managers. Buyers are no longer simply selecting products and services. They are actively shaping the direction of the industry by demanding better technology, improved experiences and more effective solutions.

Human Support Remains Essential Despite Rapid Technology Growth

Although digital tools and artificial intelligence are transforming travel management, buyers continue to place significant importance on human assistance, especially during critical situations.

Nearly 58% of respondents identified seamless human response and support as the most important factor in traveller safety. This ranked higher than trust and consistency alone, showing that personal assistance remains essential when travellers face disruptions, emergencies or unexpected challenges.

The findings reinforce the idea that technology and human expertise must work together. Automated systems can improve efficiency, provide faster information and simplify routine processes, but human judgement remains crucial when dealing with complex situations.

For corporate travellers, safety and confidence often depend on having access to reliable support at the right moment. As travel becomes more connected and unpredictable, the human element continues to be a defining part of successful travel programmes.

Managing Complexity Becomes a Priority for Future Travel Programmes

Travel buyers are also facing growing challenges in managing increasingly complex travel environments. Nearly two-thirds of participants, 64%, said groups and meetings are more difficult to manage compared with traditional transient business travel.

Meetings and events require more detailed planning, stronger coordination and greater flexibility, making them one of the most demanding areas for travel professionals.

The results show that buyers are searching for new approaches to handle rising complexity. Artificial intelligence, improved traveller experiences, stronger partnerships and better change management strategies are becoming essential tools for navigating the future.

The corporate travel industry is no longer focused only on controlling costs and arranging journeys. It is becoming a strategic function that supports business growth, employee wellbeing and organisational performance.

The message from GBTA Convention 2026 is clear: travel buyers are not resisting transformation. They are actively shaping it. As technology advances and business needs continue to evolve, travel professionals are positioning themselves as leaders of change, ensuring the future of travel remains innovative, human-focused and strategically valuable.