Inflation remains stubborn in many markets. Airfares are climbing. Fuel costs have surged. Businesses are under constant pressure to improve efficiency and justify every line item on the budget. Yet business travel continues to hold its ground.
Research from SAP Concur found that airfares increased by more than 8%, hotel rates rose by nearly 6%, and fuel-related travel expenses climbed by roughly 22% during the first half of 2026. Despite these increases, business travel activity remained largely stable.
That raises an interesting question: why are businesses still investing in travel when cost control has become such a priority? The answer lies in the value travel continues to create.
For many organisations, travel supports sales growth, client retention, supplier relationships, business development, and market expansion. While companies may be scrutinising travel spend more closely than ever before, many still see face-to-face engagement as a worthwhile investment.
The conversation in 2026 is no longer centred on whether businesses should travel. It is increasingly focused on how organisations can manage travel more strategically and extract greater value from every trip.
A few years ago, many industry observers predicted that virtual meetings would permanently reduce the need for business travel. Video conferencing certainly became an important part of day-to-day operations, but the latest data suggests it has not replaced travel altogether.
Businesses continue to send employees to conferences, trade shows, client meetings, supplier engagements, and strategic planning sessions. Even as costs rise, many organisations remain committed to maintaining these connections.
One particularly telling trend is the growth in premium travel. Premium cabin bookings increased by approximately 9% year-on-year, while economy bookings remained largely unchanged. This suggests that many organisations are being selective about where they invest rather than cutting travel across the board.
At the same time, travel programmes are operating in a more complex environment than ever before. Corporate travel disruption alerts have increased by 300% over the past three years, while the number of travellers affected by disruptions has risen by 600%.
For business leaders, this creates a challenging balancing act. Travel remains valuable, but managing it effectively requires greater planning, visibility, and support.
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Technology has transformed the way businesses communicate. Teams can collaborate across continents, join meetings instantly, and share information in real time. Even so, many organisations continue to place significant value on meeting in person.
Complex negotiations often benefit from face-to-face interaction, where nuance, trust, and relationship-building play a meaningful role. Sales teams frequently report that in-person meetings help move opportunities forward faster, particularly when large contracts or long-term partnerships are involved.
This becomes even more important when businesses are entering new markets, strengthening supplier relationships, or nurturing strategic accounts. The human element still matters.
Research shows that 76% of employees believe business travel creates professional opportunities, while 90% of frequent business travellers say it has positively impacted their careers. Although these findings focus on individual experiences, they also highlight something important for employers: people continue to associate travel with access, relationship-building, and meaningful business engagement.
Interestingly, younger professionals appear particularly enthusiastic about these opportunities. More than 80% of both Gen Z and millennial respondents believe business travel creates opportunities for growth and advancement.
For organisations focused on building relationships and developing future leaders, that remains a compelling consideration.
While business travel remains important, the way organisations approach it has changed significantly. Many companies are asking more disciplined questions before approving travel:
This shift has given rise to a more strategic travel mindset. Rather than measuring success by the number of trips taken, businesses are increasingly focused on the value generated by those trips.
Travel patterns are beginning to reflect this approach. Car rental bookings have declined by roughly 4%, while rail bookings have increased by a similar margin. These changes suggest that organisations are actively looking for efficient and cost-effective ways to support travel without sacrificing business objectives.
The goal is not necessarily fewer trips. It is better-planned trips with clearer outcomes.
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One of the biggest misconceptions about corporate travel management is that savings come solely from reducing travel activity. In reality, many organisations are finding efficiencies elsewhere.
Travel administrators and finance teams often spend significant time managing bookings, processing expenses, resolving reimbursement queries, and tracking compliance. These hidden costs can quietly accumulate across the business.
Research shows that 60% of employees who submit expense claims have experienced issues during the process. More than a quarter have needed to resubmit claims, while some have waited months for reimbursement.
This kind of friction creates administrative overhead, delays reporting, and can negatively affect the traveller experience. As a result, many businesses are focusing on:
These areas often deliver meaningful savings while allowing organisations to maintain the travel activity that supports growth and relationship-building.
As travel becomes more complex, many organisations are recognising the value of specialist support. Managing a modern travel programme involves far more than securing flights and hotel reservations.
Travel managers must navigate disruptions, monitor traveller safety, maintain policy compliance, manage budgets, and provide timely support when plans change unexpectedly. According to recent research, 57% of business leaders believe risks are accelerating faster than their organisations can manage them. That concern is understandable.
Weather events, geopolitical tensions, airline disruptions, technology outages, and changing entry requirements can all affect business travel with little warning.
A specialist corporate travel partner helps businesses navigate these challenges more effectively by providing:
For finance managers, executive assistants, procurement teams, and business owners, this support can free up valuable time while improving oversight across the travel programme. Most importantly, it helps organisations ensure that travel remains aligned with business objectives.
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For South African organisations, the business travel landscape presents both challenges and opportunities. Travel costs remain under pressure, disruptions continue to occur, and businesses must justify expenditure more carefully than ever before.
A few practical steps can help organisations maximise value from their travel budgets:
These actions can help businesses maintain the benefits of travel while improving efficiency and accountability.
Economic uncertainty has changed the way organisations think about business travel. It has encouraged greater scrutiny, stronger governance, and a sharper focus on return on investment. What it has not done is eliminate the need for travel.
Businesses continue to invest in face-to-face engagement because relationships, growth opportunities, supplier partnerships, and client interactions still matter. Even as travel costs rise and disruptions become more common, organisations are finding ways to adapt rather than stepping away from travel altogether.
The businesses achieving the greatest value from travel in 2026 are often the ones that plan carefully, monitor performance closely, and partner with experts who can help them manage complexity.
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Travel Manor helps South African businesses optimise travel spend, improve visibility, support travelling employees, and navigate an increasingly complex travel environment through tailored corporate travel management solutions.
Speak to our team about a corporate travel review and discover how smarter travel management can help your business achieve more.