Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel launch Business Travel Report 2026

Thomas Cook (India) Limited, India’s leading omnichannel travel services company, and its group company, SOTC Travel, have released the inaugural edition of their Business Travel Report 2026, offering insights into­­ the evolving priorities, patterns and pressures shaping business travel across India.

Resilient Demand:
65% of corporates expect business travel volumes to rise this year; only 5% foresee a decline.

Tech Adoption:
Over 70% are using digital tools for booking, approvals, expense management, and reporting.

Value-Driven Decisions:
62% emphasize balancing cost efficiency with safety, compliance, and traveler well-being.

Traveler Experience:
56% prioritize flexibility, convenience, and duty of care, especially for frequent flyers and leadership.

Policy Tightening:
Nearly 60% are revisiting travel policies, renegotiating supplier contracts, and enforcing stricter approvals.

Bleisure Growth:
68% report employees extending business trips for leisure, prompting policy adjustments.

Domestic vs. International:
72% of travel remains domestic (Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune), while Singapore, Dubai-Abu Dhabi, UK, USA, and Australia lead international destinations.

Cost Pressures:
80% saw rising airfares, with 36% noting increases above 15%.

GST Challenges:
55% face compliance and input tax credit optimization issues, especially for air and hotel spends.

Industry Perspective
Indiver Rastogi, President & Group Head, Global Business Travel at Thomas Cook India & SOTC Travel, emphasized the shift toward value-driven programs, accelerated technology adoption, and tighter governance. He also highlighted innovations like Dhruv.ai (voice-enabled AI advisor) and TravelOne (integrated booking & management platform) as tools to build smarter, policy-aligned travel ecosystems.