Corporate Travel Managers Prioritise Programme Simplification, New Research Shows

42% of travel managers cannot easily access the data they need, with 60% prioritising programme simplification in 2026

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN), the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform, today released "5 Ways to Uplevel Travel Management," a new study finding that 42% of European travel managers cannot easily access the data they need. Produced with independent insights from temoji, the report reveals that while data is plentiful, only 16% of managers feel they are using it "extremely well" to drive results.

The report, which surveyed 120 corporate travel managers across the UK and Europe, serves as a practical blueprint for building successful, future-proofed travel programmes. It identifies key areas where businesses can unlock value by shifting from complex legacy setups to intuitive, integrated platforms.

“This research points to a clear desire from travel managers: they want simplified processes and clearer fee models to help them better position their travel programme within their business,” said Ian Jones, Consultant at temoji.

Key findings from the report:

• 42% of corporate travel managers struggle to access data and only 16% use the data “extremely well.”
• 60% are prioritising simplification in 2026 to combat clunky workflows, with 44% referencing inefficient processes in their programmes.
• 66% must defend TMC fees to Finance teams, but 42% find pricing models too opaque to explain.
• 36% of off-platform bookings are driven by lower prices. Limited access to travel inventory and competitive rates drops traveller confidence in TMC bookings by 15%.

“We can see a clear path forward for travel managers who want to uplevel their programmes,” said Kim Hamer, Chief Travel Advisory Officer at Navan. “By embracing AI, demanding transparent pricing, and choosing tools that offer a consumer-grade booking experience, travel managers can transition from being bogged down in the administrative weeds to driving strategic advice and value for their businesses.”

To address the obstacles outlined in the survey data, the report outlines a roadmap for building successful, high-adoption travel programmes:

• Move from opaque fee models to simple, transparent fee structures to enhance visibility over costs.
• Improve the booking experience with access to robust inventory to create high-adoption programmes.
• Replace manual approvals with automated workflows to free up time for strategic initiatives.
• Unify travel and expense and enable real-time forecasting and sharper decision-making.

This data was gathered from a survey of 120 corporate travel managers across the UK and Europe conducted in October and November 2025, alongside in-depth interviews and a design thinking workshop with industry leaders in London.

Read the full report here.

About Navan

Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN) is the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform that makes travel easy for frequent travelers. From finding flights and hotels, to automating expense reconciliation, with 24/7 support along the way, Navan delivers an intuitive experience travelers love and finance teams rely on. See how Navan customers benefit and learn more at navan.com.

About temoji

Temoji is a consulting and marketing specialist in the global corporate travel and meetings industry. We work with travel suppliers who thrive on continually improving how they serve their clients and travellers.