What’s on the Minds of Travel Buyers Today? | Buyer Buzz Insights from GBTA Convention 2026

Travel buyers are embracing change, but they want to be the ones driving it. That was the overarching takeaway from 470+ travel buyers who participated in the interactive Buyer Buzz session at GBTA Convention 2026.

Results from live polling during the session paints a picture of a profession that is optimistic about technology, committed to partnership and increasingly focused on influencing change within organizations.

AI Is Here to Stay, But Buyers Are Keeping a Watchful Eye

More than 78% at the Buyer Buzz session said they're already "hooked" on generative AI, and an overwhelming 92% believe AI will make their jobs "more strategic" rather than replace them. Sixty four percent cite "hallucinations and incorrect information" as a bigger concern than AI's environmental impact, while 60% associate AI's future more closely with Terminator than Star Trek.

Buyers are split on whether AI should enforce travel policy automatically. While 51% say it should, 49% prefer AI to simply recommend the best travel choices. Buyers see AI as a strategic advantage, but they're still working through how much authority they're willing to give it.

The Real Challenge Is Internal Influence

When asked about their biggest challenge, 57% said "influencing internal stakeholders," compared with 43% who cited "influencing traveler behavior." Nearly four out of five buyers (78%) identified "change management" as the most important skill for travel professionals, ahead of "commercial thinking (22%)."

When it comes to innovation, 64% said their biggest source comes from "internal business needs" rather than "external market trends." Success increasingly depends on building consensus, leading change, and aligning travel programs with broader business objectives.

Buyers Want Strong Partnerships, Not Transactions

An overwhelming 92% of participants said the best supplier relationships are built on "long-term partnerships," while just 8% favored "competitive tension." At the same time, buyers don't want suppliers to do all the driving. More than three-quarters (77%) believe innovation happens fastest when "buyers push suppliers," rather than when "suppliers challenge buyers."

Technology Helps But People Matter Most

Nearly six in ten buyers (58%) identified "seamless human response and support" as the most important element of traveler safety, ahead of "trust and consistency" alone. In the modern travel program, technology may improve efficiency, but human support remains essential during moments of disruption, uncertainty or risk.

Looking for Solutions to Growing Complexity

Nearly two-thirds (64%) said groups and meetings are harder to manage than transient travel, underscoring the increasing complexity of managing meetings and events. Buyers want new approaches to managing change, leveraging AI, improving traveler experiences, and tackling an increasingly complex landscape. Travel buyers are not resisting the future. They are actively preparing for it.