Festive Road CEO Caroline Strachan predicts buyers can take control in 2026, even amid AI acceleration
If
you’ve been working in travel buying over the past 12 months, you know it’s
been anything but business as usual! 2025 threw surprises at everyone, shaking
up routines and forcing people to adapt fast. Whether you’re navigating new
tech, keeping up with company changes, or trying to make sense of mergers &
acquisitions, one thing’s for sure: You’re not alone. As we step into 2026,
let’s talk about what’s changed and how you can stay focused, no matter what
comes next.
2025: Change, Change and More Change
What
industry are we even in? Travel, Expense, Payment, Hospitality? The travel
players are extended into expense and the expense player strategies to own more
of the travel come to life. Instead of T vs E, we’re truly in the T&E world
now.
Tech
overload: Automation has been around for years but in 2025 after a few years gracing
conference agendas, AI exploded onto the scene, popping up in booking, expense
tracking, and traveler support. It’s a learning curve, but getting comfortable
with these tools can really help you and your travelers.
Supplier
shuffle: With alliances, mergers, buyouts, and plenty of big changes among vendors,
you’ve probably had to navigate new supplier relationships, renegotiate deals
or hunt for new partners.
Consumer
demand intensifies: The much lauded “consumer grade experience” is now table stakes. Travelers now
expect the whole travel industry to up its game, not just business travel.
Follow
the money:
Travel buyers are saying “enough” to a broken commercial model and many started
moving their viewpoint beyond individual suppliers into the investor landscape,
where is the money being invested and what are TMCS, tech players and suppliers
investing in?
“Value”
and “Trust” heard on repeat. If I had a dollar for every time I heard these two
words, either individually or together I’d be retiring onto a Caribbean island
by now! We have a trust gap and a value gap in the T&E world.
And
that’s just scratching the surface. There’s been new rules, global uncertainty,
and economic ups and downs. Standing still? Not an option.
2026: Say "No" to Say "Yes"
With
so much happening, it’s easy to get stuck in reactive mode—just putting out
fires instead of steering the ship. But travel buyers who managed to keep their
focus found ways to thrive. If you’re wondering how to stay steady for 2026,
here are some tips:
- Relentlessly
prioritize. Take a breather and look at your T&E program’s big picture. Are your goals
still right for the company? Are your daily tasks linked to these goals? If not
strike it off from your to do list.
- Let
Data Guide You. When things are unpredictable, data really helps. Use analytics to track
spending, emissions, and traveler satisfaction. The facts can help with
business cases for investment, to enable better decisions and guide adjustments
to plans.
- Governance
is your friend. Ensure your supplier relationships are well managed. Once you have great
alignment across buyer/supplier relationships, this naturally frees up time
previously used to solve disputes and operational issues.
The
T&E buying community is a resilient bunch. Global financial crisis, volcanic
ash clouds, pandemics … you’ve faced it all. Change isn’t slowing down, but if
you focus on what matters, and look after your own wellbeing, you’ll be ready
for whatever 2026 brings. Remember, you don’t have to do it all alone—reach
out, share ideas, and support each other. The road ahead might be twisty, but
together, you’ll get where you want to go.
Here’s
to a new year filled with T&E buyers leading the way!