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At a time when'European airline carriers'are'cancelling'hundreds of flights due to'the'soaring price of fuel caused by conflict in the Middle East,'it's'no surprise that 'geopolitical tensions' has topped the list of concerns among corporate travel professionals in the region.''

New industry'insight'from'192**'corporate travel professionals'released ahead of'Business Travel Show'Europe''reveals'a'sector under intense pressure from geopolitical instability, cost'inflation'and rapidly evolving'duty?of?care'expectations,'with technology disruption and border uncertainty adding further complexity.''

Business Travel Show Europe is'the longest-established and largest business travel event in'Europe,'attracting over 700 corporate travel buyers.'The 32nd'edition takes place'24-25 June 2026 at Excel'London'and'free'registration is now open.?'

With'survey'respondents invited to choose up to three options'and'more than 360 data points'analysed,'a clear picture'emerges:'external volatility is now the dominant force shaping corporate travel strategy'following years of''cost cutting' topping the annual poll.'

Geopolitical tensions top the list of concerns'

Nearly'half'''47%'-'of respondents cite geopolitical instability as their biggest challenge for 2026'-'the strongest single signal in the dataset. Travel managers report dealing with unstable borders, sudden route changes, regional conflict, unpredictable government'policies'and'supply?chain'disruption.'

'This'data'aligns with wider industry sentiment that global instability is no longer a background risk but a daily operational variable. The conflict in the Middle East alone has triggered'emergency repatriations,'widespread fare inflation,'cancellations,'rerouting, travel bans and heightened'traveller'anxiety'' it's a daily changing minefield that's keeping travel managers on their toes,' said'Louis Magliaro, Executive VP of The BTN Group,'organiser'of the'Business Travel Show series of global events.'??'

Cost escalation is squeezing travel'programmes'from all sides'

Cost pressures dominate the next tier of challenges.'Key concerns include:'

• Rising air,'accommodation'and ground transport rates (36%)'

• Balancing travel demand with shrinking budgets (25%)'

• General budget pressures (21%)'

• Rising daily costs in key destinations (12%)'

Duty of care and compliance pressures intensify'

With'20%'citing risk volatility and'16%'highlighting compliance challenges, duty of care has firmly shifted from a procedural requirement to a strategic priority: a'trend'that's'also'amplified by the conflict in the Middle East.'

Technology: a source of opportunity and confusion'

A cluster of'mid?tier'challenges'reveals'widespread uncertainty around technology adoption:'

• Airline content and distribution changes (13%)'

• Applying AI to travel management (12%)'

• Dynamic pricing models (11%)'

• Finding the right tech stack (9%)'

• Uneven NDC rollout (6%)'

'The message from travel buyers here is very clear: while AI and modern distribution promise transformation, many'organisations'are struggling to navigate fragmented content, inconsistent standards and legacy tech systems that don't integrate,' added Magliaro.'

A surprising blind spot: cyber and'data?privacy'risk'

Two'challenges'received'no'responses'-'cyber attacks'and'cross?border'data privacy'-'a'potentially'striking omission given the rise in ransomware, data breaches and'digital?risk'exposure across global travel ecosystems. The findings suggest travel managers may be underestimating digital risk or assuming it sits solely with IT and security teams.'

Business Travel Show Europe to spotlight solutions'

'The data from our annual buyer report makes one thing clear: 2026 is a pivotal year for corporate travel. External volatility is reshaping strategy, cost inflation is redefining budgets, and'traveller'expectations are rising fast making it tricky for travel'programmes'to adapt to demand,' added Magliaro.''

Solutions to all the challenges facing buyers can be found at Business Travel Show Europe taking place in London this June. The event will bring together over 1,000 travel buyers,'suppliers'and industry leaders to explore solutions to the sector's most pressing challenges, from geopolitical risk and cost control to AI adoption, NDC readiness,'next generation'duty of care and much more. Together with over 200 world-class suppliers, the event will provide a much-needed shortcut to corporate travel innovation for thousands of'organisations'across Europe.'