As business travel continues to evolve, so too does the role of the corporate travel agent. In 2025, the landscape of travel booking will look vastly different as technological advancements, changing employee expectations, and a focus on efficiency redefine how corporate travel is managed.
Here’s how we expect the role of corporate travel agents to evolve in 2025, focusing on the technological, operational and human elements that will shape the future of travel booking.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming many industries, and corporate travel is no exception. By 2025, AI and automation will be fully integrated into travel booking, making the process faster, more efficient, and more personalised than ever.
AI-Powered Travel Booking Systems: Travel agents will leverage AI to automate the booking process, allowing travellers to select flights, hotels and ground transportation options through personalised recommendations based on their preferences, past travel history and corporate policies.
Real-Time Travel Adjustments: AI will also help corporate travel agents manage unexpected changes to itineraries, such as flight delays or cancellations. Automated systems will send real-time updates to travellers and offer alternative options, reducing the need for agents to manually intervene.
Smart Travel Assistants: AI-driven virtual assistants will handle day-to-day travel inquiries, such as providing itineraries, checking flight statuses and answering questions about local logistics. This will allow corporate travel agents to focus on higher-value tasks and more complex travel needs.
By automating routine tasks, AI will help corporate travel agents save time and provide faster responses to travellers. The technology will enable a more seamless experience for both the business and the traveller, making the entire process more efficient and user-friendly.
In 2025, the use of data analytics will become central to corporate travel management. Corporate travel agents will tap into vast amounts of data to offer a highly personalised experience for their clients, ensuring that travel arrangements meet the specific needs of both employees and businesses.
Custom Travel Profiles: Travel agents will use data analytics to build detailed profiles of each traveller, including their preferences for flights, accommodations, meal options and more. This will allow for a higher level of customisation in booking travel.
Predictive Analytics for Future Travel: By analysing past travel behaviour, corporate travel agents will be able to predict future travel needs, such as preferred routes, airlines and even travel dates, helping to streamline the booking process.
Travel Experience Enhancements: Data-driven insights will also enable agents to recommend personalised experiences at travel destinations, such as booking excursions, dining experiences or events that align with travellers’ interests.
The ability to personalise travel arrangements to each employee’s preferences will not only enhance their travel experience but also increase productivity and satisfaction. With the use of data analytics, travel agents can better cater to the needs of the modern corporate traveller, making business trips more efficient and enjoyable.
As businesses and travellers become more conscious of their environmental impact, sustainability will be a major focus of corporate travel booking in 2025. Corporate travel agents will need to prioritise eco-friendly travel options and guide businesses in making more sustainable travel choices.
Eco-Friendly Travel Options: Travel agents will proactively recommend sustainable travel choices, such as carbon-neutral flights, eco-certified hotels and electric vehicle rentals. They will also consider green travel policies when making recommendations for client bookings.
Carbon Offset Integration: Corporate travel agencies will partner with carbon-offset programmes, allowing companies to offset the carbon footprint of their employees' travel. Agents will seamlessly integrate carbon offsetting into the booking process, ensuring that businesses can track and reduce their overall environmental impact.
Sustainability Reporting: Travel agents will provide businesses with detailed reports on the environmental impact of their travel bookings, helping companies assess their sustainability efforts and identify areas for improvement.
As sustainability becomes a key priority for organisations, travel agents will play a crucial role in helping companies make environmentally conscious travel decisions. By integrating green travel options and carbon offsetting, businesses can align their travel programmes with sustainability goals, enhancing their reputation and meeting the growing demand for eco-friendly travel.
In 2025 corporate travel agents will increasingly rely on integrated travel management platforms that combine booking, expense tracking, itinerary management and compliance in one centralised system. These platforms will allow for smoother collaboration between travel agents, employees and businesses.
Centralised Travel Booking Systems: If they don’t already do so, corporate travel agents will manage all aspects of business travel through a single platform, offering companies a streamlined way to book flights, accommodations and transportation. This will allow for greater control over travel expenses and policy compliance.
Expense Tracking and Reporting: Integration with expense management tools will continue to enable real-time tracking of travel costs and ensure that employees adhere to company spending limits. Travel agents can also generate detailed reports for finance teams, providing insights into overall travel expenditures.
Compliance Monitoring: Integrated platforms will continue to help ensure compliance with corporate travel policies, local regulations and tax laws. Corporate travel agents will continue to use these platforms to quickly identify any discrepancies and address issues before they become problems.
The integration of travel management platforms will create efficiencies for both the business and the corporate travel agent. By centralising travel bookings and expenses, businesses can simplify the entire travel management process, improve compliance and gain more visibility into travel spend.
As business travel becomes more complex, corporate travel agents will offer even more concierge and VIP services to enhance the traveller experience. These services will cater to high-level executives and frequent travellers who need additional support during their trips.
Executive Travel Support: Corporate travel agents will offer personalised services for executives, such as private jet charters, priority check-ins and access to VIP lounges, ensuring a premium travel experience.
Travel Assistance for Every Step: From booking reservations at top restaurants to securing last-minute changes in itineraries, travel agents will provide concierge-level services, ensuring that business travellers have everything they need, no matter the destination.
Personalised Itinerary Management: Travel agents will manage detailed itineraries for frequent travellers, anticipating their needs and providing tailored recommendations for activities, accommodations and dining options during their trips.
For businesses with high-level executives or top-tier clients, offering personalised concierge services will make business travel more seamless and enjoyable. This enhances the overall travel experience and boosts employee satisfaction, while also making the company appear more polished and professional.
In 2025 blockchain technology will be increasingly adopted to ensure secure, transparent and efficient travel transactions. Corporate travel agents will utilise blockchain to simplify payment processes, enhance security and improve data integrity.
Secure Transactions: Blockchain will allow corporate travel agents to process payments more securely, reducing the risk of fraud and data breaches. Payments made using blockchain technology will be encrypted, ensuring the safety of financial transactions.
Smart Contracts: Blockchain-enabled smart contracts will allow businesses to manage travel bookings and payments automatically, reducing administrative burdens and ensuring compliance with travel agreements.
Data Integrity and Transparency: Blockchain will offer greater transparency in travel data, making it easier for businesses to track travel bookings, expenses and itineraries, ensuring that all transactions are properly documented and traceable.
Blockchain technology will streamline payment processes, reduce administrative costs and improve the security and transparency of corporate travel. By embracing blockchain, businesses can future-proof their travel management systems and provide added peace of mind for their employees.
In 2025, corporate travel agents will play a pivotal role in the seamless integration of technology, personalisation and sustainability into business travel. With the help of AI, data analytics, blockchain and eco-friendly initiatives, the future of travel booking will be faster, smarter and more tailored to the needs of individual travellers.
As the landscape of corporate travel evolves, the travel agents of 2025 will be at the forefront of this transformation, offering the support and expertise that businesses need to navigate the future of travel.
If your business needs assistance future-proofing its corporate travel programme, please get in touch with a Sure Corporate Agent.
Sure Corporate is a division of the Sure Travel Group, the oldest travel agency consortium in southern Africa. Book an obligation-free appointment with a Sure Corporate consultant to find out how our agencies can stay on top of corporate travel trends in 2025.