After 27 years in business travel, I’ve learned that the industry never stands still. But right now, the pace of change feels sharper and more demanding than anything we’ve seen.

Travel managers are carrying broader remits and higher expectations than ever before, all while navigating a world where disruption is the norm. It’s no surprise therefore, that at the recent ITM Trending Summit “demonstrating value” was a new entrant (at number four) in buyer priorities. 

Yet despite this evolution, travel managers are still pulled into the weeds. Operational noise and shifting priorities can easily overshadow the bigger picture. That’s why account management across our industry must step up as a strategic anchor. 

My team works to keep clients focussed on what truly matters, but the shift is bigger than any one organisation and it does not move in a linear trajectory. Strategy is not a static document: itʼs a living discipline. What mattered in January may be irrelevant by March. Staying aligned requires discipline.

We need more intent to keep strategy at the centre. For us, that means KPIs tied to outcomes rather than activity. Being busy is not the same as being effective.

Our Quarterly Business Meetings follow the same philosophy. They are forward-looking by design. The sessions are reserved for strategy, not history. However, like any change, avoiding slipping back into old habits is an ongoing struggle. This reflects a broader shift for all to embrace, moving away from retrospective reporting and towards value creation.

Share the knowledge

The next era of account management will be defined by insight, opportunity and execution, not information.

Travel managers don’t need more data; they need better interpretation. They need partners who can translate numbers into decisions, outcomes and value.

That requires fluency in technology, because these tools help us surface insights faster and make better choices. It also requires a willingness to be curious, to challenge (both us and customers), and the courage to embrace change and make mistakes along the way.

We must ask better “why” and “what next” questions, ensure existing customers receive the same innovation as new ones, and share knowledge more freely across teams and clients. In a landscape this dynamic, knowledge sharing is essential.

Better together

Travel managers today expect account managers to be partners, not processors. Meeting that expectation means bringing our ‘A Game’ every day: the best strategy, the best technology, the best ideas. And when things go wrong (because in travel, they always will) it means standing shoulder to shoulder with clients and keeping the programme on course.

This is a moment of real change for business travel and it’s hard, as all things worth doing are. Expectations are higher, complexity is greater, and the opportunity to make an impact is bigger than ever.

But we can only meet that moment if we evolve collectively with more strategic conversations, more shared learning, more alignment, and more focus on what truly matters.

Because strategy isn’t about perfection. It’s about clarity, focus and the discipline to build what matters most.

Sam Davies is Director of Corporate Partnerships UK, Direct Travel