Business travel grows in 2025, though stakeholder misalignment limits program effectiveness
Business travel is once again a strategic priority in 2025, with large organisations reinstating travel budgets and employees eager to meet in person. Yet, new findings from the seventh SAP Concur Global Business Travel Survey, which reflects responses from 3,750 business travellers, 700 travel managers, and 600 chief financial officers (CFOs) across 24 markets including Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), shows that misalignment between key stakeholders is limiting the impact of travel programs, creating uncertainty around travel-related decision-making, policy enforcement, and employee expectations. (1)
Companies see stronger results when travel policies provide structure, reinforce compliance, and surface insights in real time. Stakeholders who understand how to plan, approve, and manage travel help programs operate more consistently and deliver both operational efficiency and strategic value.
That clarity matters as 99 per cent of ANZ business travellers say they are willing to travel this year. Almost all (94 per cent) view travel as helpful, if not essential, to their success, while 39 per cent believe it helps them perform better. Despite this, 84 per cent report that their organisation has recently reduced or cancelled important trips due to budget constraints.
Meanwhile, 43 per cent of CFOs believe that over half of business trips could be replaced with virtual communication tools, and one-third of travel managers say hybrid work models are putting pressure on the future of corporate travel programs. The situation becomes more complex when roles are unclear. Sixty-nine per cent of CFOs believe they lead travel decision-making; however, travel managers are divided, with 43 per cent saying they do, and 41 per cent pointing to finance. Travellers assign equal weight to finance and travel teams, at 36 per cent each, though only 28 per cent feel they have any influence. These diverging views create friction and reduce the program's impact.
Confusion around who owns travel decisions results in inconsistent approvals and stalled progress. Employees lose confidence in the process, and finance and travel teams spend more time resolving edge cases instead of driving value. Integrated platforms, such as the new Concur Travel, reduce this noise and keep travel aligned with business goals.
Without clear guidance, employees often bridge the gap left by inconsistent decision-making by spending their own money. Globally, 85 per cent of business travellers report having paid out of pocket to improve their travel experience. These costs include hotel upgrades (38 per cent), additional nights (35 per cent), and preferred seating (30 per cent). In ANZ, younger employees are the most likely to contribute personally, including 93 per cent of Generation Z and 88 per cent of millennials.
Wellbeing also plays a key role in travel program performance. Ninety per cent of global travellers say they would decline a trip under specific conditions, with key concerns including safety (40 per cent), health risks (38 per cent), and burnout (26 per cent), while 58 per cent also express discomfort with air travel. Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of Generation Z travellers in ANZ report feeling uneasy about flying, with 19 per cent saying they would turn down a trip that requires it.
These results show the importance of designing travel programs that accommodate varied risk profiles and personal needs. Companies that provide flexible options and transparent policies are more likely to see full participation in essential trips.
Leaders who want consistent adoption of travel policies across diverse teams need to build flexibility into their programs by combining clear policy guardrails with adaptable options that people trust and that scale with business needs.
However, program scale alone does not guarantee impact. Organisations generate better outcomes when they integrate travel platforms with finance systems and policy workflows, giving leaders shared visibility to guide decisions, reduce exceptions, and support compliance in real time. A connected approach that integrates platforms like the new Concur Travel also gives travel managers access to structured data, lets CFOs track performance, and helps employees make informed decisions while staying within policy.
Reference:
(1) https://www.concur.com.au/
