Thomas Cook (India) and SOTC Travel have released the inaugural Business Travel Report 2026, detailing insights from over 25 leading Indian enterprises. The report indicates a strong revival in business travel demand, with 65% of corporates expecting volumes to rise in 2026. Key findings point to increased reliance on tech-led solutions, a shift toward value-driven decisions balancing cost and safety, and growing prominence of traveller experience and duty of care.
Inaugural Business Travel Report Launched
Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its group company, SOTC Travel, have jointly released the Business Travel Report 2026 on February 23, 2026. The report captures evolving priorities and patterns shaping business travel across India, based on a survey of 25+ leading enterprises across sectors like BFSI, manufacturing, and healthcare.
The key objective of the report is to offer insights amidst a strong revival in business travel demand, alongside a heightened corporate focus on cost optimization, policy discipline, and traveler experience.
Key Insights from India’s Evolving Business Travel Landscape
The report highlights several critical observations shaping corporate travel strategies:
- Demand Resilience: Nearly 65% of corporates anticipate business travel volumes will increase over the next 12 months, with only 5% expecting a decline.
- Technology Adoption: Over 70% of corporates are increasing reliance on digital tools for booking, approvals, and expense management to gain visibility and enforce policy compliance.
- Value Focus: Over 62% of respondents are moving towards value-led travel decisions, balancing cost efficiency with safety, reliability, and compliance.
- Traveller Well-being: 56% of respondents prioritized traveller experience, flexibility, and duty of care, especially for senior leadership and frequent flyers.
- Policy Adjustments: Close to 60% of corporates are tightening or revisiting travel policies, focusing on renegotiating supplier contracts and rationalizing preferred partners to offset rising costs.
- Bleisure Trend: The Bleisure trend is growing, with 68% of corporates noting employees are extending trips for personal leisure time.
- Cost Pressures: A sharp 80% of respondents reported an increase in Average Ticket Prices (ATP) over the past year, leading to tighter controls and advance booking mandates.
- Tax Compliance Focus: Over 55% highlighted challenges related to GST applicability and ITC optimization, particularly for air travel and hotels, driving the need for expert support.
Domestic and International Hubs
Domestic travel remains dominant, with 72% of corporate travel occurring within India, led by hubs like Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru. Internationally, Singapore, Thailand, Hong-Kong, Maldives, and Dubai-Abu Dhabi are preferred for strategic engagement, while China and Japan are emerging strongly on the radar.
Management Commentary
Indiver Rastogi, President & Group Head of Global Business Travel, stated that the findings underscore a clear shift towards value-driven programs, accelerated technology adoption, and tighter governance. The company aims to support this evolution using innovations like the voice-enabled AI advisor, Dhruv.ai, and the integrated management platform, TravelOne.
Source: BSE
