The data that proves business travel is more purposeful than ever

London, UK, 6 May 2026 - Business travel is not in decline – it is evolving. New data from FCM Consulting's inaugural hotel-focused research report suggests the shift may be more commercially significant than many organisations have yet recognised.

FCM Consulting’s Insights Report 2026, ahead of the global corporate hotel RFP season, reveals that hotel occupancy in major business hubs averaged 73.7 per cent globally in 2025, up 1.3 percentage points on the prior year.

In key corporate cities, the recovery is sharper still: Sydney reached 81.5 per cent occupancy (up 4.0 points), Singapore hit 79.2 per cent (up 2.0), Tokyo led the Asia-Pacific region at 82.9 per cent, and London held at 82 per cent.

The data reflects a fundamental change in how and why organisations travel. The report, authored by FCM Consulting's global team of hotel programme specialists, finds that hybrid working has not killed business travel – it has made it more intentional.

Routine internal meetings that once generated high volumes of relatively low-value travel have largely disappeared. In their place is a more focused pattern, with teams coming together for client work, revenue conversations, project assignments and physical presence events.

• 77% of organisations say face-to-face meetings are essential to business objectives
• 73.7% global hotel occupancy in 2025 – up 1.3pts year-on-year
• 82% hotel occupancy in London, near multi-year highs
• 81.5% hotel occupancy in Sydney, up four points in a single year.

“Travel is now more focused on bringing people together with purpose – whether for client work, revenue generation, or internal alignment,” said Rachel Newns, Global Hotel Practice Lead, FCM Consulting.

“The organisations recognising this are approaching the RFP season very differently from those still measuring success by reducing trip volumes.”

The research draws on data from managed travel programmes across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific, combining proprietary booking data with regional market analysis.

It finds travel patterns are diverging sharply by traveller type: sales teams prioritise location and consistency; project teams are making longer stays in fewer cities; and senior leaders expect a combination of reliability and discretion that legacy hotel programmes often fail to deliver.

“Hotel programmes tend to evolve gradually,” said Newns. “Suppliers change, targets move, policies are amended — yet the overall programme design can remain largely unchanged. Taking time to revisit its foundations often reveals where adjustments are needed.”

FCM Consulting's data shows that contracted and consortia rates continue to deliver significant savings against the best available rate, with public rates fluctuating by up to USD$62 globally.

Fixed negotiated rates in high-demand markets provide meaningful protection – but only when programmes are actively managed, and travel patterns are understood at the city level rather than at the regional aggregate level.

The report also highlights a frequently underutilised lever in hotel programme management: corporate loyalty. Major hotel groups have continued to expand their loyalty ecosystems, and travellers holding status with preferred brands represent both a compliance risk and a genuine opportunity for buyers who manage it well.

Complimentary breakfast, lounge access and room upgrades can meaningfully improve the traveller experience at no incremental cost to the corporate account. The challenge is integrating loyalty strategically into programme design – and having frank, early conversations with suppliers about recognition and status support during transition planning.

“Resistance linked to loyalty status is frequently underestimated during programme change,” Newns added. “If it is not considered early, it can weaken otherwise sound sourcing decisions.”

The FCM Consulting Insights Report 2026: Global & Regional Hotel Strategies Ahead of the 2026 RFP Season is available from 11 May 2026. The report covers global hotel market trends, regional analysis across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, a case study in global hotel programme transformation, and strategic recommendations for the upcoming RFP season.