Nearly all travel managers are now managing both business travel and meetings as corporates have increasingly consolidated these two areas, according to research from event and hospitality technology specialist Cvent.

A global survey of 1,600 travel managers found that 91 per cent were now in charge of sourcing hotels and events for their company¡¯s meetings and events ¨C up from a figure of 64 per cent in 2017.

This process has been primarily driven by achieving better operational efficiency, which was the priority for 53 per cent of buyers in Europe. It is also paying off financially with 83 per cent of all respondents reducing costs by combining the management of their travel and meetings programmes.

The Cvent study also revealed that managers were ¡°prioritising meetings that drive clear business outcomes¡±, with the top reason for events being the acquisition of new customers, which was crucial for 43 per cent of Europe-based managers.

But, as reflected in other similar surveys, rising travel costs continue to cause concerns among travel managers, with 71 per cent of respondents expecting higher prices in 2025.

This is leading to greater scrutiny of travel activities, with incentives (31 per cent) and internal meetings (also 31 per cent) most likely to face the axe.

Despite the increased focus on costs, sustainability remains a ¡°top concern¡± when sourcing hotels and venues with nearly one-third of European buyers (32 per cent) saying it would influence their priorities through 2026.

Cvent¡¯s poll found that the most important sustainability commitments that travel managers wanted to see from suppliers were waste reduction (32 per cent) and the availability of locally sourced food (29 per cent).

The survey highlighted how most corporates were still focused on technology spending, with only 13 per cent planning to cut expenditure in this area in 2025.

Graham Pope, Cvent¡¯s vice president of international sales, said: ¡°This year¡¯s global report demonstrates how the role of the travel manager has become increasingly strategic and streamlined, overseeing both business travel and event sourcing.

¡°Despite ongoing budget concerns due to rising travel costs, organisations are recognising significant operational and financial benefits from this consolidation.

¡°This trend is particularly strong in Europe, where travel professionals are focusing on operational efficiency and leveraging digital tools to overcome sourcing challenges, drive smarter decision making and deliver greater value.¡±

Other findings from the survey showed that 48 per cent of managers were ¡°most influenced¡± when deciding whether to submit a RFP (request for proposal) to a venue by its specifications, images and videos of guest rooms.

Although this is mainly achieved by using websites and search engines, with 33 per cent of managers struggling to ascertain whether a property meets their programme¡¯s requirements.

Cvent found that travel managers in Europe were more likely to use sourcing platforms to assess and analyse bids ¨C this figure was 43 per cent for European buyers compared with a global average of 38 per cent.

The company surveyed business travel decision-makers from Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa for the research.