Business travel is at a crossroads. For years, discussions around industry progress have circled the same tired topics: NDC, outdated technology stacks and incremental tweaks to how we book and service travel. While these debates are important, they often miss the bigger picture. We don’t just need new systems or standards, we need a fundamental change in mindset.

True transformative partnerships between buyers and suppliers hinge on stronger collaboration. It’s about more than just a handshake or a signed contract; it’s about aligning on long-term goals, fostering open communication and embracing innovation that genuinely surprises and delights. That requires buyers to be bolder, exploring new technologies, engaging with non-traditional suppliers and pushing past the comfort of the “usual suspects” who dominate event floors and panel discussions.

Too often, buyers cling to what feels safe. The perception of minimal risk when working with well-established players comes at a cost: stifled innovation, inflated pricing and missed opportunities to reshape the way their organisations approach travel. Suppliers, on the other hand, need to lead with transparency and honesty, presenting solutions that are not just shiny objects but meaningful advancements. Creativity and accountability should be the baseline, not the exception. In short: a better balance between tech marketing, capability and integrity.

Turn to tech

While NDC and its promises dominate headlines, the real conversation should focus on rethinking how travel is booked and serviced. The traditional travel management company (TMC) model, with its reliance on physical agent-led servicing, is becoming increasingly outdated fast. Buyers and suppliers need to pivot to tech-driven TMCs that prioritise seamless, self-service solutions powered by AI and machine learning.

Imagine a future where a traveller’s preferences, compliance requirements and real-time contextual data merge in an intuitive, frictionless booking and servicing process. That’s the promise of modern technology when implemented well. In that context we need to call it: much of today’s travel tech is frankly subpar for future purpose and needs. Buyers deserve tools that work as seamlessly as the apps they use in their personal lives, but instead many are stuck with clunky interfaces, rigid systems and solutions that fail to adapt to their needs.

Suppliers must confront this reality head-on. That means acknowledging when a product falls short, addressing the gaps, and most importantly listen to the frustrations of their users. A spade should be called a spade and innovation for its own sake must give way to innovation that delivers genuine value. 

Raise your voice

At the heart of this transformation lies the need for buyers to wield a stronger voice within their organisations. They should be equipped with the knowledge and influence to make smarter, more strategic decisions, ones that challenge the status quo and prioritise long-term outcomes over short-term savings.

Buyers must also demand better from suppliers, pushing for transparency and creativity while remaining open to change. This requires a shift in mindset, where risk is not viewed as something to avoid but as an opportunity to grow. Only then can both parties build partnerships that feel empowered, valued and deeply connected.

Be bold

If the business travel industry is to move into the future, it must prioritise collaboration over complacency. Buyers need to break free from their comfort zones, explore the full spectrum of what the market has to offer and engage with fresh partners who are willing to challenge outdated norms. Suppliers, in turn, must deliver solutions that aren’t just new but transformational, backed by transparency, honesty and a genuine desire to meet evolving needs.

Let’s stop having “boring” debates about incremental improvements and start focusing on the bigger picture to build an industry that’s smarter, faster and more connected than ever before. The opportunity is there, if only we’re bold enough to seize it.

An independent consultant, Martijn van der Voort is Director of AstraNomad Ltd, a consultancy specialising in travel technology, corporate booking and expense management. He previously spent 16 years at CWT in senior roles, latterly as Director Product Delivery Technology.