Nearly four in every 10 corporate travel buyers say they love the business travel community and peer networking, and travel management company (TMC) support resonates with approximately 29%. This is according to new research by Business Travel Show America, which asked 204 corporate travel managers, buyers and bookers based in North and South America which positive and negative industry statements resonated with them the most.
When asked “Which of these positive statements most resonates with you?”, buyers responded:
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38.31% – I love the business travel community and enjoy networking with my peers
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28.86% – I am supported by my TMC – they feel like an extension of my team
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24.38% – I feel confident we look after our travelers well
A parallel question asked buyers which negative statements resonated most. Less than one-quarter is frustrated by technology. Despite current world events, only around 22% of buyers/ felt taking responsibility for their travelers’ duty of care was a negative. And fewer than 17% feel under-resourced and overworked.
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23.88% – I am frustrated by the technology I have to use
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22.39% – I feel responsible for my travelers’ duty of care, and this is particularly heightened currently
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16.92% – I am under-resourced and overworked
“These results tell a human story about corporate travel management: they paint a picture of a profession finding strength in its people even though frustrations exist around systems and structures as is the case in most industries, and increased workload and responsibility seem to be taking a toll,” said Louis Magliaro, Executive Vice President, the BTN Group.
“But what really stands out from this research is how much buyers value each other and how much heavy lifting the community is doing for each other. This is exactly why events like Business Travel Show America matter. Through our hosted buyer program – including our pre-show welcome event at Swingers NoMad, buyer-only BTN Community sessions, content and networking opportunities, Business Travel Show America and its sister events in APAC and Europe give this community a place to connect, share solutions and support one another throughout the year and across the globe.”
Included on this year’s agenda:
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BTN Community – Technology & distribution, October 14, 2026, 03:00 PM – 04:00 PM
A buyer-only session bringing together corporate travel managers to explore the evolving landscape of travel technology and distribution, learn from peers, share insights, get feedback and ask the tough questions.
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Panel – Can collaborative innovation reshape the buyer-TMC relationship? October 15, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
For years, debates around content visibility and commercial models have strained buyer–TMC relationships. Now, some travel programs are taking a different approach, rethinking not just transparency, but the role of the TMC itself. This session moves beyond frustration to explore how forward-looking buyers are challenging traditional models, redefining expectations around content access, incentives and accountability, and partnering with TMCs in new ways.
Business Travel Show America returns to Javits Center from October 14-15, 2026, bringing together corporate travel buyers, procurement professionals and industry suppliers to address the challenges shaping the industry, including cost management, technology adoption and traveler duty of care.
