Access to full content and the move to NDC is still the biggest challenge for travel buyers this year, according to the results of the latest survey by ITM shared with delegates at the ITM Trends Summit today.

More than three quarters (77%) of buyers said this was one of their biggest challenges in 2025, slightly ahead of the 75% who were concerned about this issue in the same survey last year.

There was also a big rise in the percentage of buyers who said balancing traveller behaviour and policy was one of their key challenges. In 2024, just under half (48%) of buyers said this was an issue but this year the figure was 64%, putting this in the number two position overall.

Compliance and budget control was identified as the third biggest challenge (56%), followed by influencing sustainable practices (49%).

When asked about the top priorities for their travel programmes in 2025, budget control and OBT optimisation came top of the list.

While 36% said their 2025 travel budget has increased for 2025 compared to 2024, the same percentage said it has decreased. For one in four buyers, their travel budget remains the same.

The survey also asked buyers if they are confident they will have access to the airline content they need in 2025. More than half (59%) said they were not confident, 23% said they were confident and a significant number (18%) said they didn’t know.

Half of buyers said they were not confident of getting access to the hotel content and price they need in 2025, 42% said they were confident, with another 8% saying there were not sure.

Of those buyers who are going to tender in 2025/26, nearly half (47%) are looking to refresh their accommodation programme and 25% are considering changing their TMC.