Tech-enabled, personalised and sustainable solutions to drive India’s corporate travel landscape: Deloitte

National, 24 September 2024: India’s corporate travel sector, valued at over US$10.6 billion, is entering a transformative phase, betting on new ways of working and technological disruption. Deloitte’s latest report highlights corporate travel innovation, which is essential for employee experience management and cost efficiency.

The corporate travel sector market is projected to grow at 10.1 percent CAGR and double to US$20.8 billion by FY2030. Meanwhile, the overall travel market in India is set to reach US$97 billion at ~9 percent CAGR.

As businesses recalibrate their travel strategies with hybrid work models after the pandemic, India’s corporate travel sector underlines the critical role of Travel Management Companies (TMCs) in steering the industry into a new era of innovation, cost efficiency and sustainability.

The incorporation of cutting-edge technology is at the heart of this shift. TMCs have revamped their strategies to meet the needs of new-age travellers. These travellers need to engage deeper and faster using AI-powered chatbots, voice-assisted booking systems and real-time data analytics. These technologies can be tailored to customers’ needs while simplifying the experience for business travellers.

Survey insights on corporate travel show traveller’s demand value proposition

• Operating cost efficiency: Travel expenses represent a considerable portion of an organisation’s operating budget. On average, 35–40 percent of employees travel at least once annually. Almost 88 percent of corporate employees travel for < 4 days for domestic travel whereas ~28% travel for > 1 weeks when travelling internationally for their business purpose and almost 34% surveyed respondents mention they travel once or twice a quarter for domestic purpose. However, only 33 percent travels once or more a year for international business purpose.
• For small and midsize organisations (up to 250 employees), travel expenditure can reach INR 1 crore per year. In contrast, large organisations (250–5,000 employees) allocate ~INR10 crore annually towards travel expenses. For large organisations (5,000+ employees), travel expenses are directly proportional to the employee count. An analysis of the top 100 listed firms reveals that a leading IT major, with some of the highest travel spends, incurred travel expenses of more than INR2,600 crore in FY23.
• There is a rising demand for auxiliary services, with 72 percent of respondents requesting taxi services and 63 percent seeking visa assistance on travel platforms, emphasizing the need for comprehensive travel solutions.

Additional trends

• The global tourism sector is projected to contribute US$15.5 trillion to the GDP by 2033, representing 11.6 percent of the global economy. This underscores the long-term growth potential of the travel industry, particularly in the context of corporate travel. Since the end of the pandemic, the global travel and tourism sector has rebounded significantly to reach its pre-pandemic highs, driven by pent-up travel demand, government support measures and innovative strategies.
• The report identifies the top industries driving corporate travel expenditures, including IT services, BFSI, engineering, aviation, oil and gas, pharma, FMCG and automobiles. These sectors account for 86 percent of the travel spend among India's top 100 listed firms. While Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru remain the most popular business travel destinations, cities such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bhubaneswar and Lucknow are emerging as new corporate hubs.
• The B-leisure trend is gaining momentum, with 37 percent of respondents extending their business trips for leisure. Among these, 81 percent add 1–2 extra days, while the rest extend their trips by 3–4 days, showcasing the evolving work culture and personal preferences.
• Despite the positive trends, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, rising costs and complex tax structures remain significant barriers to growth. The government’s role in addressing these challenges will be crucial for the sector’s future.