This year promises change in the managed travel industry. Now that U.S. airline mergers are largely in the rearview, carriers will compete for corporate business on the merit of their products and services. Hotels will ramp up revenue management strategies, analyzing booking patterns and the potential for displaced business as they craft RFPs and negotiate contracts. On the payment front, chip card adoption and upgraded point-of-sale systems will cascade unintended consequences. And watch Uber's forward march in 2016. It may not be all about ridesharing.
Travelers continue to influence travel management foundation, and they want technology to support better experiences. Consumer adoption of apps like FaceTime and Google Hangouts have made remote collaboration tools a no-brainer, while predictive analysis promises to boost traveler productivity and reduce burnout. As travel buyers focus more on the traveler, industry insiders say they will break traditional procurement protocols and reinvigorate the practice of travel management with innovative supplier management and more flexible travel program structures.