29 June 2026 – As Australian businesses close the books on the 2025-26 financial year, corporate travel has re-emerged as one of the most closely scrutinised line items on the P&L and the results for organisations with professionally managed programs are telling a markedly different story to those without.

Australia’s third-largest travel buying group, CT Partners, reports a landmark year – surpassing $2.5 billion in Total Transaction Value (TTV), reflecting 11% growth year-on-year. In a year defined by geopolitical disruption, premium cabin shortages and renewed scrutiny over every corporate dollar spent, those figures reflect the measurable value of expert travel management.

CT Partners is Australia’s leading independently owned travel-buying network, representing 35 of the country’s most successful independent corporate travel management firms, events companies and premium leisure agencies, collectively looking after the travel needs of more than 1.3 million travellers each year. More than 60% of the network’s air bookings are in premium cabins. CT Partners passes through 100% of supplier payments directly to its members.

The 2025-26 year tested even the most seasoned travel programs. The closure of Middle Eastern airspace in early 2026 stranded thousands of Australians and exposed the high cost of unmanaged travel. The subsequent tightening of premium cabin availability across Gulf carriers sent business class fares on key routes spiking, in some cases doubling, and turned budget forecasting into a daily challenge for corporate travel managers. Through it all, CT Partners member agencies stepped up: rerouting travellers in real time, activating relationships with carriers across Asia, and delivering creative solutions that protected both people and productivity.

Now in its 22nd year, the network has grown to 35 member agencies-  a record following the addition of World Business Travel, Gullivers Group and DIRECTIONS this year, driven in part by the network’s growing strength in Business Meetings & Events.

 Quotes from Matt Masson, CEO, CT Partners:

“This has been one of the most demanding years for corporate travel in recent memory – and our members have risen to every challenge. When airspace closed over the Middle East, when premium cabin inventory tightened overnight, when budgets came under pressure from every direction, our members were there. They’re not just booking travel. They’re protecting people, managing risk, and delivering genuine ROI for the organisations that trust them.”

“As finance teams conduct their EOFY reviews, the question every CEO, CFO and operations lead should be asking is: what is our current travel program actually costing us and what is it saving us? The difference between managed and unmanaged travel has never been more visible than it was this year. Our data tells a compelling story, and our members can walk any organisation through exactly what a high-performing travel program looks like in practice.”

“We’ve seen $2.5 billion in transactions move through this network in FY26, across more than 1.3 million travellers. That scale creates leverage, intelligence and access that simply cannot be replicated by a booking engine or a consumer app. For Australian businesses looking to sharpen their travel strategy heading into FY27, there has never been a better time to have that conversation.”

 Quotes from Baris Celik, Vice President of Operations APAC, TAG

“The Middle East disruptions of early 2026 were a real-world stress test for every corporate travel program in Australia. For our clients, the response was seamless because we had the systems, the relationships, and the people to act immediately. That’s what EOFY reviews should be measuring: not just what travel cost, but how your program performed when it was under pressure.”

“A key tip: ensure your travel partner offers consolidated travel tracking across departments and geographies. It’s the fastest way to understand who’s travelling, where they are, and what action is needed during global events.”

Quotes from Fiona Prosser, CEO, Globetrotter Travel

“We’ve seen a significant number of organisations return to professional travel management this year after previously booking direct. The motivation is almost always the same: something went wrong and they had no one to call. EOFY is the right moment to make that change before the next disruption, not after it.”

Quotes from Andre Moten, Chief Commercial Officer, Connections Travel Group

“We’re in a period where decision-makers are under pressure to protect every dollar while also protecting their people. A robust travel program can do both. But it has to be built with flexibility, foresight, and scale. That’s what we offer.”

“My advice? Insist on real-time travel data, make duty of care reporting part of your board-level risk review, and choose an advisor with genuine supplier clout. The cheapest fare is not always the safest or smartest choice.”

CT Partners’ EOFY Corporate Travel Program Checklist

For organisations reviewing their travel program heading into FY27, CT Partners recommends asking:

• How did your provider respond during the Middle East disruptions and how quickly?
• Do you have real-time visibility of every traveller’s location and status during a crisis?
• Is duty of care reporting part of your executive risk review?
• Are your negotiated fares and preferred supplier agreements delivering measurable savings and is your provider tracking that for you?
• Do you have access to premium cabin inventory and creative routing options when capacity tightens?
• Does your travel management partner offer AI-powered online booking technology that delivers real savings?
• Does your provider deliver real-time management information and reporting that upholds the integrity and transparency of your travel program expenditure?
• Is your travel program aligned with your FY27 business objectives and is your advisor helping you plan proactively, not just reactively?

For media enquiries: Sari-Elle Kraemer on skraemer@alphaconsulting.global or 0407284457