Inconsistent service (41%) and poor tech functionality (36%) have been identified by global travel managers as major TMC friction points in need of improvement.
A study based on responses from 195 travel managers highlighted rising expectations and growing frustration with outdated systems.
A report ‘The Perfect Trip Index: The State of the Managed Travel Experience’ was published this week by the GBTA, Direct Travel, Spotnana and Troop.
“This is more than a wake-up call – it’s a signal that the future of managed travel is already taking shape,” said Christal Bemont, CEO of Direct Travel.
“Travel managers want intelligent, connected solutions that meet today’s needs and anticipate tomorrow’s challenges.”
Key findings include:
Online Booking Tools (OBTs) fall short: 64% of travel managers report issues managing exchanges and cancellations and only 13% support self-service NDC changes.
Poor integration degrades service quality: 73% prioritise comprehensive global content; 63% want better integration between TMCs and OBTs for improved service continuity.
Travel and meetings programs are disconnected: 80% are either siloed or only partially integrated, resulting in lost opportunities for savings and visibility.
Manual expense processes persist: 55% want automated receipt capture; 48% cite missing receipts and spend data as a reconciliation challenge.
Demand grows for innovative planning tools: 62% seek centralised platforms to manage both meeting logistics and attendee travel; 45% want AI-powered search results.
