

How AI will enhance business travel technology in 2025
Business travel technology is evolving from AI this to AI that and everything in between. Are you keeping up?
The travel industry is undergoing a profound transformation fuelled by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). After a transitional 2024 marked by an influx of generative AI (GAI)—a form of AI that creates content like images, videos and text – and a surge in funding for innovative disruptors, these technologies are now moving beyond the hype to meaningful implementation.
In aviation, AI-enhanced airport screening is streamlining security with biometric and digital identity tools, enabling faster and more accurate traveller processing via facial recognition and fingerprint scanning. At Haneda Airport, Japan Airlines and NEC trialled an AI system that monitored carry-on luggage in real-time, optimising overhead bin use, addressing capacity issues, and expediting boarding processes.
But AI’s impact doesn’t stop at the airport. Across the business travel landscape, AI is reshaping how travel management companies (TMCs) operate and enhance the traveller experience. From automating complex workflows to delivering hyper-personalised services, TMCs are leveraging AI to create smarter, more efficient and more personalised travel solutions.
To explore how AI will enhance business travel technology in 2025 and its impact on travel managers and travellers alike, we spoke with Eric Ediger, CTM’s Global Head of Automation and Machine Learning.
How would you describe the current state of travel technology as we move into 2025?
“AI is transforming the traveller experience with hyper-personalisation. Predictive booking tools, customised itineraries, and real-time updates are making journeys smoother and less stressful. Chatbots and virtual assistants are enhancing service delivery, providing instant support to travellers.
“The value of AI in travel management lies not in its visibility, but in how seamlessly it integrates into a well-designed system to solve real-world problems. The best AI is not something users have to consciously engage with but makes every interaction smoother, every decision informed and every experience more satisfying.
“When AI is built into the fabric of a platform, travellers and travel managers don’t need to think about algorithms or advanced technology; they simply use a system that works. It anticipates their needs, solves their challenges, and enhances their journeys in ways that feel intuitive and effortless. That’s the hallmark of truly intelligent travel management.”
Why is AI pivotal to the corporate travel industry now, and how does it align with CTM’s value proposition of delivering service, technology innovation and ROI to customers?
“AI should enhance service quality and elevate the customer experience without losing the personal touch that travellers value. It can facilitate travel options tailored to individual preferences, booking history, and company policies while providing 24/7 support to manage disruptions or itinerary changes instantly. Real-time insights help predict and resolve potential issues, supporting more efficient travel.
“At CTM, AI complements rather than replaces human expertise. Automating routine service queries has reduced the volume of calls and emails to our travel advisors where customers are requesting simple things like copies of itineraries, invoices or cancelling bookings. This enables our travel advisors to instead prioritise managing complex itineraries or emergency travel assistance. This synergy ensures travellers benefit from both cutting-edge technology and the personalised service of an expert travel advisor.”
How do CTM’s current AI capabilities empower travel managers and corporate travellers?
“Over the past year, CTM has expanded Scout’s (CTM’s AI-powered virtual travel assistant) capabilities by integrating it into platforms like Microsoft Teams and also CTM’s mobile app, enhancing accessibility of the tool and improving response times during travel disruption, freeing travel managers and travellers to focus on their own strategic priorities. We’ve also launched tailored booking suggestions, which our early analysis shows potential efficiency gains of up to 25%* on booking times.”
What are the major focus areas for CTM’s AI tech roadmap?
“Our AI strategy is focused on enhancing efficiency, personalisation and sustainability to deliver even greater value to travel managers and corporate travellers. We aim to refine AI-driven booking systems to improve policy compliance and cost control while introducing advanced real-time tracking and safety tools to strengthen duty-of-care initiatives. Working towards expanding AI-powered dashboards, there is an opportunity to provide deeper insights into travel trends and predictive analytics, saving travel managers more time and enabling better-informed decision-making.
“There will also be a focus on enhancing personalisation for travellers by integrating sustainability options into booking suggestions and offering seamless mobile tools for on-the-go adjustments to better align with individual traveller preferences and organisational goals. Scout’s 24/7 virtual assistant capabilities will be further optimised to provide faster, smarter support, ensuring smooth journeys even during disruptions. AI and ML algorithms will transform how complex travel plans are managed, making the process more efficient and seamless. These technologies will analyse detailed parameters such as budget constraints, sustainability goals, and corporate travel policies to further expand tailored itineraries. By considering factors like flight availability, connections and traveller preferences, our tools will significantly reduce errors and administrative effort, ultimately enhancing the overall travel experience for our customers.”
How are we balancing innovation with addressing existing customer pain points?
“Developing meaningful solutions starts with understanding the challenges our customers face. Feedback from our Customer Advisory Boards (CABs), post-trip surveys, in-app ratings and direct customer interactions shape our technology roadmap. For instance, input from CABs has guided enhancements to Scout, enabling users to easily ask questions about their trips, access real-time flight schedules, and benefit from continuous feedback loops that drive continuous improvements. Ongoing conversations with CTM’s account managers also provide insights into customers’ evolving needs, ensuring our solutions remain relevant and effective. Every new feature undergoes rigorous user testing to ensure usability and alignment with real-world workflows.”
In what ways do you envision AI evolving within CTM solutions to meet future customer demands?
“The future of AI in corporate travel holds limitless potential. I imagine a future where there could be AI-driven personal travel concierges where AI dynamically updates itineraries, suggests hyper-personalised dining or fitness options and provides seamless multilingual support. Imagine AI tools that gamify sustainability by setting personal carbon budgets, rewarding eco-friendly choices, and providing real-time dashboards for organisations to track and reduce their environmental impact. Other areas could be AI-integrated wearable technology or intelligent group travel management.
“I expect advancements in AI to provide new opportunities that focus on proactive personalisation. This could include tools that anticipate traveller needs by analysing preferences, history and contextual data like weather and local events. Duty-of-care tools could deepen their impact with real-time risk assessments, predictive rerouting, and sentiment analysis to detect traveller distress and enable timely intervention. AI could be used to provide live safety ratings for travel locations, allowing travellers to feel more secure while empowering managers to act swiftly to emergencies. Advanced conversational AI and automated trip updates synced to team calendars would further reduce friction and enhance productivity.
“AI’s role in optimising travel policies could also evolve, shifting from enforcing static rules to dynamically analysing travel behaviour and market conditions. Tools that recommend live policy adjustments and savings opportunities would allow organisations to maximise cost efficiency without manual effort. Complex administrative tasks, from expense reconciliation to vendor negotiations, could be increasingly automated, freeing customers’ time to focus on other strategic activities.
“Looking at sustainability, there is an opportunity for it to be embedded at every stage of travel planning, with AI forecasting carbon impacts and suggesting offsets to balance environmental considerations with cost and convenience, helping clients meet their ESG goals. Continuous learning from customer feedback will drive refinement, tailoring AI solutions to their evolving needs and preferences.”
*Based on North American CTM data
To learn more about CTM travel technology and how they are harnessing the power of AI
Contact our expert team today.