A new survey from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and Radisson Hotel Group shows that 69% of corporate travel programs expect to use artificial intelligence in their next hotel request for proposal (RFP) cycle, up from 32% in the most recent one. The research, based on responses from 258 travel managers across North America and EMEA, highlights how cost pressures, evolving market dynamics, and technology are reshaping the management of $461 billion in annual corporate lodging spend.
The study, conducted in April 2026 and released this week, reveals a dual push: travel managers want to control costs while improving traveler safety and experience. Fixed-rate agreements still anchor most programs, but dynamic discounting is rapidly gaining ground as a complementary tool.
AI adoption accelerates in hotel sourcing
AI's presence in the RFP process is poised to expand sharply. Only one-third of programs used AI in the last cycle, but more than two-thirds plan to integrate it next time. Travel buyers show comfort with AI for both decision support (70%) and automation (56%), according to the survey. However, they emphasize that human judgment remains essential for evaluating traveler preferences and brand fit-qualitative factors that algorithms can't fully interpret.
"We see a clear picture emerging of travel managers striving to balancing increasing costs against managing risk and enhancing the traveler experience, while also actively leveraging AI to simplify and drive smarter, more efficient programs," said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA.
The shift mirrors broader trends in hospitality technology, where AI for Hospitality & Events is being embedded into procurement, guest management, and operational planning. The survey suggests hotel suppliers will need to prepare for AI-augmented evaluations as corporate buyers adopt these tools.
Dynamic pricing models and blended rates
For the second consecutive year, dynamic discounts increased in nearly half (49%) of hotel programs, while only 17% reported growth in fixed-rate agreements. Travel managers are adopting a blended approach: locking in fixed rates in high-volume cities and using dynamic discounts in secondary or less predictable markets. This model allows companies to expand program coverage, capture savings where standard rates aren't viable, and respond faster to demand swings.
The shift toward non-last room availability (NLRA) rates is more pronounced in EMEA, while last room availability (LRA) remains dominant overall. As programs incorporate multiple rate types, many travel managers are turning to AI for Operations to handle the data demands and administrative load that come with multiple rate channels.
Regional divides and outsourcing
Perceptions of the hotel sourcing climate differ sharply by region. North American travel managers were far more likely to see current conditions as favorable (65%) compared to their EMEA-based counterparts (47%). That disparity aligns with higher outsourcing rates in Europe-64% of European travel managers said their company outsources some or all RFP activities, versus 52% in North America. Large companies with 20,000 or more employees often choose partial outsourcing (64%) rather than full outsourcing (14%), retaining in-house control over strategy while farming out execution.
Gianni Di Fede, Chief Commercial Officer at Radisson Hotel Group, said the findings underscore a need for smarter collaboration. "As travel managers navigate increasing complexity, there is a greater need for improved flexibility, smart-decision making and stronger collaborations across the industry."
Why this matters for hospitality and events professionals
For hotel sales teams, event planners, and venue managers, the study signals that corporate clients will increasingly expect data-rich, AI-informed RFP responses. Fixed-room-block agreements for meetings and events may face the same pressure toward dynamic pricing, requiring flexible contract structures. Professionals who understand how AI tools are used on the buy-side-for rate benchmarking, option analysis, and compliance monitoring-will be better positioned to craft competitive proposals. The move toward blended rates also means that a single-rate-fits-all strategy for group business is becoming less tenable, especially across multiple regions.
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