key trends influencing business and travel meetings. “We are seeing a strong focus on training and knowledge exchange, with seminars and training sessions cited as a top reason (37%) for business travel and events.” The report also identifies a shift towards more productive trips, including multi-purpose, multi-destination trips and fewer day trips. Plus, says Logan, “Blended or ‘bleisure’ travel continues to be desired and operationalised, with 43% of surveyed professionals saying their companies now have defined policies.” A growing emphasis on keeping travellers happy, managing risk and reducing carbon impact is in part driving these trends. Underpinning these changes is a structural shift as AI – particularly Agentic AI – ESG obligations and end-to-end digitalisation, whereby technology is used to manage every aspect over the entire lifecycle of an event, now determine how business events are designed and experienced. AI has shifted from a helpful tool to the operating system of business travel. AI-driven platforms now optimise itineraries against multiple variables simultaneously: price, emissions, policy compliance, risk exposure and traveller preference. Predictive engines flag non-compliant bookings before they are made, suggest lower-carbon alternatives in real-time and manage disruption with a speed that would once have required an entire operations team. In the 2025 State of AI in Corporate Travel survey conducted by Serko and Sabre, more than 90% of respondents reported using AI or generative AI, primarily for cost savings (71%), enhancing the traveller experience (68%) and improving data analysis (63%). Nearly half of corporate travel managers believe AI will have a “significant” or “transformative” impact on their travel programmes over the next five years, particularly in areas such as forecasting, duty of care and supplier optimisation. In the events world, AI-led agenda-building and matchmaking algorithms are replacing static programmes. Some large venues now deploy digital twins – virtual replicas of physical spaces – to model crowd flow, energy use and safety scenarios before doors open. Sustainability as a foundation Business travel is not immune to wider tourism trends, and ESG considerations loom large in event planning. A 2022 GBTA sustainability report found that sustainability is now a top priority for corporate travel buyers, with 89% of global respondents saying sustainability is a priority for their company
BY THE NUMBERS 37% Seminars and training cited as the top reason for business travel and events 43% Companies with defined policies for blended or ‘bleisure’ travel 71% Using AI primarily for cost savings 89% Corporate travel buyers saying sustainability is a priority for their organisation 61% Using AI to enhance the traveller experience
“What we are observing is a clear bottom-up reconfiguration of events organisation and policy, driven by digitally empowered travellers who expect relevance, responsiveness and value co-creation at every touchpoint”
and 76% of travel buyers either incorporating or planning to incorporate sustainable practices into travel policies. As travel modes become more environmentally sound, there is justified pressure on events to grow greener. Dr Renée Nicole Wagner, Corporate Director ESG and Quality Management, Orascom Hotels Management AG, says in the next few years we can expect event organisers to measure and report impacts systematically, using recognised sustainability standards and third-party verification; adopt low-carbon operations and transparent carbon accounting; implement circular economy principles; prioritise sustainable supply chains with local sourcing, supplier codes of conduct and ethical procurement practices; and leverage digital tools, including apps for sustainable attendee behaviour and hybrid/virtual formats to reduce travel-related emissions. Wagner anticipates a future where sustainable event models will not only minimise environmental impact but actively contribute to societal and ecological wellbeing, setting a new standard for the events industry. “Looking beyond 2030, event models are expected to evolve towards net-zero or even regenerative impacts, where events actively improve local communities and ecosystems,” she says. “Circularity will extend to all aspects of design. Events will also become more socially inclusive, embedding equity and community co-creation as core elements of sustainability strategy," she adds. Digitalisation as a complementary tool As technology is utilised to make events more seamless, it is filtering into more areas. Digital identity, biometrics, eSIM connectivity and integrated mobility platforms are enabling journeys that are increasingly touchless, making for a
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