AI could fundamentally change the role of the travel manager

Trust, security and governance will become decisive factors in how quickly artificial intelligence gains traction within the business travel industry. Amadeus states this in the new report Orchestrating Success, which examines both current and future use cases for AI in business travel.

According to the report, AI can automate a range of administrative tasks, such as managing travel policies, approvals and travel disruptions. This would give travel managers the opportunity to spend more time on strategic issues such as risk management, forecasting and employee wellbeing.

At the same time, the report emphasises that broad implementation of AI requires a stable foundation with a focus on governance, data security and control. The governance of AI solutions in particular is highlighted as a priority issue for many travel managers.

"New AI capabilities are bringing the industry closer to a connected travel experience where booking, policy, expenses, disruption management and duty of care are linked," says Mark Cullen, Chief Commercial Officer at Amadeus Cytric.

The report indicates that, in the long term, AI could change the role of the travel manager from administrator to strategic adviser. By combining AI-driven analysis with human judgement, those responsible for travel can focus to a greater extent on balancing costs, compliance, duty of care and business objectives.

For business travellers, AI could mean more automated travel processes. The systems will, for example, be able to identify upcoming trips via emails and calendars, suggest suitable flights, hotels and transport options, and handle payments, receipts and expense claims automatically.

The report also describes an upcoming generation of AI tools that can help companies adapt travel policies in real time. AI could, for example, suggest temporary policy changes based on demand, disruptions or other external factors.

Sustainability is another area where AI is expected to play a greater role. According to Amadeus, future solutions will be able to factor carbon emissions directly into the booking process and help companies track their climate targets.

The report is based on insights from leading representatives of Amadeus, Flight Centre Travel Group, Microsoft, UBS and the Institute of Travel Managers.