AI won’t replace travel managers – but the right TMC will help them thrive

Just like a new team member bringing fresh skills, AI is designed to complement human expertise, making roles more efficient and strategic rather than obsolete. The role of a travel manager is no exception.

AI and automation are streamlining processes, reducing administrative burdens and delivering real-time insights. Yet, at its core, business travel remains a people function. The role of a travel manager is evolving to focus on strategic oversight, traveller wellbeing, risk management, and delivering greater value to their business with the support of their TMC. And thanks to the evolution of AI and automation, it’s fast becoming easier.

A powerful partnership between people and technology

Travel managers will become tech-enabled leaders, using AI and automation to drive efficiency, compliance and traveller satisfaction. TMCs play a critical role in this transformation, working towards integrating AI-powered tools and data-driven insights that will enable travel managers to make more informed decisions and enhance their travel programs. While AI is still evolving within corporate travel, a strong TMC partnership ensures that travel managers have access to the latest innovations and expert support to optimise their programs. The most successful travel managers will be those who see AI and automation not as a competitor but as an enabler, leveraging it to transform their role from operational to strategic, ensuring their travellers and businesses thrive in an increasingly digital world.

How technology is elevating the travel manager’s role

Where there is travel technology, there are efficiency gains. Routine processes like travel approvals, bookings, and compliance should now be automated. While real-time data is already accessible to travel managers through business intelligence tools such as CTM’s Data Hub, AI-driven insights have the potential to take this further by automating trend analysis, predicting travel patterns, and optimising spend more dynamically. Many TMCs are actively working towards integrating AI-driven capabilities that will enable travel managers to make even more strategic, data-backed decisions in the future. TMCs will continue to actively support travel managers in interpreting advanced analytics throughout the evolution of corporate travel to inform policy decisions, supplier negotiations and spend optimisation.

Enhanced traveller support should be a welcomed change. Chatbots and AI-powered virtual assistants manage simple queries, saving valuable time. Some TMCs have already integrated these technologies into their services like CTM’s Scout, ensuring travellers receive seamless support while freeing travel managers to focus on more strategic tasks. However, for more complex travel needs, such as handling disruptions, complex itineraries and VIP requirements, having a trusted TMC partner remains invaluable.

The human advantage – why travel managers are irreplaceable

While AI will continue to bring efficiency, corporate travel still requires human expertise, critical thinking and strategic relationship management. Travel managers, in partnership with their TMC, play a role in supplier negotiations and ensuring travel policies align with business objectives. The ability to access AI-driven insights will provide travel managers with access to deeper visibility into supplier performance, benchmark costs more effectively, and implement travel policies adapted to real-time data.

While AI solutions are being explored to predict and help mitigate travel risks by analysing vast amounts of real-time data, they are not yet widely available or fully integrated within TMCs. In times of disruption, travel managers and their TMC partners continue to provide essential human judgment, experience, and real-time intervention to support travellers. A TMC with robust risk management capabilities ensures travel managers have access to critical insights, emergency support, and supplier coordination to navigate crises effectively.

Similarly, while AI has the power to provide valuable data for cost control, travel managers will always remain vital to driving long-term value by fostering strategic relationships and optimising company-wide travel programs. AI may assist, but human insight ensures travel remains efficient, cost-effective and traveller-focused.

Strategic communication and stakeholder engagement

AI can generate reports, but travel managers will be required to communicate the value of travel programs to senior leadership, procurement, finance teams and employees. Strong presentation and negotiation skills are essential for demonstrating ROI, advocating for policy changes, and securing stakeholder buy-in for new travel initiatives. Additionally, travel managers act as a bridge between departments, ensuring travel policies align with broader business goals and company culture. By effectively articulating the benefits of a well-managed travel program, travel managers can drive cost savings, improve traveller satisfaction and reinforce the strategic importance of corporate travel.

The future-focused travel manager

To thrive in this evolving landscape, travel managers who embrace available AI and automation as tools that enhance their role rather than threaten it will be ahead of the pack. The most successful professionals will have a future-focused mindset and will look to develop new skills, including:

• Data literacy: Leveraging AI-driven insights to make informed decisions.
• Tech adaptability: Staying ahead of emerging travel technology trends.
• Stakeholder management: Strengthening relationships across the business and TMC partnership to drive travel program success.

As AI continues to evolve, travel managers who embrace its potential as an enabler of efficiency and strategic oversight will lead the way in shaping the future of corporate travel. With the right TMC partnership, travel managers can prepare for the future of AI-driven corporate travel by gaining access to emerging technology, automation and strategic insights. By blending human expertise with evolving AI-powered tools, travel managers can stay ahead of industry changes while ensuring that corporate travel remains both efficient and human-centric.