NEW DELHI: India’s corporate travel landscape is witnessing a shift as businesses seek to balance rising travel demand with greater financial discipline and operational control. According to insights from Ebix Travels, organisations are increasingly leveraging technology and data-driven decision-making to maximise the value of every business trip. The findings show that 74% of organisations anticipate an increase in business travel activity over the next year, while 68% consider cost optimisation their foremost travel management objective.
Drawing on travel patterns and booking trends across its enterprise client base between June 2025 and May 2026, Ebix Travels found that 74% of organisations expect business travel activity to increase over the next 12 months. At the same time, 68% identified cost optimisation as a top priority, highlighting a growing focus on achieving better business outcomes without compromising financial discipline.
The findings reveal that business travel continues to play a critical role in enabling customer engagement, market expansion, partnership development, and revenue growth. Reflecting this trend, 52% of organisations reported an increase in premium and business-critical travel. Meanwhile, 47% observed a rise in last-minute bookings, signalling the need for greater flexibility as businesses respond to evolving market opportunities and operational requirements.
As travel programmes become more complex, organisations are increasingly looking to technology to improve efficiency and control. According to the findings, 71% of respondents cited fluctuating airfares as a major challenge, while 49% are exploring AI-powered tools to enhance booking decisions, optimise travel budgets, and improve traveller experience.
The analysis also highlights changing traveller expectations. Self-booking tools now account for 58% of bookings, reflecting growing demand for seamless digital experiences and faster approvals. However, 63% of organisations continue to face challenges arising from disconnected travel, expense, forex, and payment systems, often resulting in fragmented data, reduced visibility, and compliance gaps.
Commenting on the evolving business travel landscape, Vikas Garg, Chairman, Ebix Group, said, “Business travel remains a critical enabler of economic growth, business expansion, and relationship building. As organisations navigate a dynamic operating environment, the focus is increasingly shifting towards creating greater value from every travel investment. Technology, data intelligence, and integrated financial solutions are playing a pivotal role in helping enterprises achieve this balance. At Ebix, we are committed to building connected travel ecosystems that simplify operations, enhance visibility, strengthen compliance, and empower businesses to make smarter, more informed decisions across the travel lifecycle. We believe the future of corporate travel will be defined by efficiency, agility, and seamless digital experiences that support both organisational objectives and traveller needs.”
Commenting on the findings, Latika Bolar, Chief Business Officer – Corporate Travel, Ebix Travels, said, “The role of business travel is evolving. Organisations are no longer focused solely on facilitating travel; they are looking to optimise it. Every trip is being evaluated through the lens of business impact, cost efficiency, and traveller experience. This is driving demand for integrated, technology-enabled solutions that provide greater visibility, smarter decision-making, and better control across the travel lifecycle.”
Against this backdrop, organisations are increasingly moving towards integrated travel ecosystems that bring together travel management, forex, payments, and expense oversight on a single platform. Enterprises adopting such models are reporting stronger governance, improved compliance, better employee experiences, and enhanced control over travel spend.