Corporate Travel in U.S. and Canada: Technology and Simplification Are the Key to Success

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The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) has demonstrated how corporate travel policies in the United States and Canada undergo ongoing development throughout the world. According to its recent 2025 State of Corporate Travel Policies report, businesses in North America develop their travel policies to create better travel guidelines which use new technology and enhance employee travel experiences.

The report, which was conducted in partnership with ALTOUR, indicates that companies are shifting away from long, complex travel policies towards simplified, inclusive, and technology-enhanced solutions. These changes aim to boost compliance, improve traveller satisfaction, and help businesses better adapt to the modern demands of corporate travel.

Technological Integration Driving Change

One of the most prominent trends noted in the GBTA report is the increasing role of technology in shaping corporate travel policies. Travel managers in both countries have reported growing interest in AI-powered solutions that help streamline policy education and improve compliance. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in explaining complex policies and automating routine processes can reduce out-of-policy behaviour while enhancing the traveller experience.

The report reveals that 64% of travel managers are interested in using AI-generated video explainers to provide concise, clear summaries of key policy elements. This technological shift represents a move towards more dynamic, intuitive systems that cater to modern business travellers, making it easier for them to stay within policy guidelines.

Simplifying Policies to Improve Compliance

According to the GBTA study, complexity continues to be a challenge, with 51% of policies still exceeding 10 pages and 24% being longer than 20 pages. These lengthier policies can overwhelm employees, which leads to non-compliance. The study found that the most common reason for policy violations was that employees either had not read the policy or were unfamiliar with the rules. This underscores the need for clearer and more digestible policies that engage employees from the outset.

Despite efforts to streamline processes, booking outside approved channels remains the most prevalent compliance issue, with 35% of respondents noting it as a significant challenge. Similarly, out-of-policy hotel stays are reported as an ongoing concern, cited by 28% of travel managers. This points to an opportunity for companies to not only improve policy clarity but also increase employee education and awareness.

Inclusion and Accessibility Still Underrepresented

While companies have made significant strides in modernising their travel policies, inclusivity and accessibility remain areas for improvement. The report found that only 13% of travel managers stated their policies strongly addressed accessibility needs. Furthermore, just 19% of policies provided clear guidance on addressing the needs of diverse traveller groups, including LGBTQ+ employees or women, who may face unique safety challenges while travelling.

This highlights a critical gap in policy development, as businesses increasingly recognise the importance of fostering diverse, inclusive travel environments and accommodating the specific needs of all employees. Addressing these gaps could further enhance employee satisfaction and compliance.

A Path Forward: How Travel Managers Can Adapt

The future of corporate travel policies lies in simplification, technology integration, and inclusivity. Travel managers can benefit from adopting more AI-powered solutions to improve policy communication, train employees, and enhance compliance monitoring. Moreover, clearer, more concise policies will make it easier for employees to adhere to guidelines, reducing costly policy violations.

Additionally, there is a growing call for policies to address inclusivity and accessibility issues in a more comprehensive manner. By incorporating diverse traveller needs and offering better support systems, companies can create a more inclusive and sustainable corporate travel environment.

The Future of Corporate Travel Policies in North America

The corporate travel landscape in Canada and the U.S. is evolving rapidly because companies focus on policy simplification and advanced technology adoption and improving employee experiences. The GBTA report shows organizational progress yet it identifies essential fields which need further development to achieve policy simplification and improve AI-based systems and build better accessible and inclusive frameworks.

The implementation of these changes by companies will lead to the development of corporate travel operations which create regulations that enhance efficiency while maintaining compliance and delivering user-friendly results to modern workforce requirements.