New data: APAC's three business travel profiles shaping 2026

New data reveals three distinct travel profiles shaping how companies move, spend, and govern travel across the region

Business travel across Asia-Pacific is not slowing down—but it is becoming more deliberate.

An analysis of corporate travel behaviour heading into 2026 shows that companies are no longer optimising travel through blanket policies or uniform controls. Instead, they are segmenting travel behaviour, automating decision-making, and tailoring controls based on how different parts of the organisation actually travel.

Based on observed booking, approval, and spending patterns, three dominant business travel profiles are emerging across APAC: the Premium Strategist, the Efficient Maximizer, and the Regional Operator. Each reflects a distinct approach to balancing cost, speed, and impact—and together they signal a structural shift in how travel programs are being designed.

This analysis draws on proprietary corporate travel data and direct observation of how organisations manage real trips today.

1. The Premium Strategist: Fewer Trips, Higher Impact

The first profile represents organisations that have consciously reduced travel frequency while preserving commercial outcomes. These companies are consolidating trips into longer, more intentional journeys—prioritising productivity and meeting density over volume.

Despite a noticeable decline in the number of bookings, total travel spend for this group remains largely stable year-over-year. Savings are often generated through economy-class long-haul flights, then reallocated toward higher-quality accommodation to support traveller effectiveness on the ground.

However, the data shows a key tension: while 91% of trips are approved, reliance on traditional manager-led approval flows slows booking decisions. This delay can materially affect fare outcomes, especially for higher-value long-haul trips where pricing is sensitive to timing.

The takeaway is clear—approval timing matters as much as approval rules. Organisations in this category maintain impact by travelling less, but stand to unlock further savings by automating approvals earlier in the booking process.

2. The Efficient Maximizer: Scaling Travel Without Scaling Cost

The second—and fastest-growing—profile reflects organisations increasing travel volume while tightening cost discipline.

These companies travel frequently, often without negotiated corporate rates, and rely instead on best-available pricing, low-cost carriers, and budget-friendly accommodation. What distinguishes them is not restriction, but process efficiency.

The data shows that adoption of automated approval workflows reduced approval windows by more than 75%, enabling earlier bookings and better fare access. Combined with AI-driven fare benchmarking, this resulted in identified savings equivalent to 10–15% of total travel spend, with a meaningful portion realised as actual cost reductions.

Crucially, these outcomes were achieved without increasing overhead or friction for travellers. The Efficient Maximizer demonstrates how speed, visibility, and consistency—rather than heavy-handed controls—can allow organisations to scale travel responsibly.

3. The Regional Operator: Cost Sensitivity at High Frequency

The third profile is shaped by organisations that rely on frequent short-haul travel to support regional operations, relationship building, and on-the-ground work.

Typically operating without negotiated rates, these organisations prioritise the lowest available fares and budget-to-midscale accommodation. Travel is decentralised across large user groups, making traditional policy enforcement difficult.

Despite this, the data shows that this group achieved the highest realised savings relative to benchmark potential. Through consistent use of automated fare comparison tools and traveller segmentation (for example, differentiating operational teams from leadership), they were able to maintain strong price discipline at scale.

An additional shift is also emerging: while flights remain the core spend driver, hotel stays are increasing in length—suggesting a move from repeated day-trips to longer regional deployments. This points to an operational evolution rather than pure cost-cutting.

What This Means for 2026

Across all three profiles, one conclusion is consistent: the era of blanket travel policies is over.

Organisations that are outperforming peers are not chasing compliance for its own sake. They are engineering better outcomes by segmenting travel behaviour, automating approvals intelligently, and giving decision-makers visibility at the moment choices are made.

The competitive advantage in 2026 will belong to companies that move from restriction to precision—using data, automation, and behavioural insight to turn travel from a cost centre into a strategic lever for growth, productivity, and traveller wellbeing.