Across our corporate client base, one message is clear: business travel is very much still happening, but it's happening differently. Our latest SME survey shows a decisive move towards safer, more stable routes and destinations, with duty of care now a driving force behind every trip.
At Travel Counsellors for Business, we're seeing this play out in real time: in how programmes are being reshaped, which hubs are being avoided or preferred, and the level of care and proactive support organisations expect from their travel partner.
Our data highlights that business travel isn't disappearing: it's becoming more deliberate and risk aware.
Bookings via Middle Eastern hubs are down 85% year –on-year
Alternative routing via Asia has increased by 166%
Demand for key long-haul markets remains strong, with trips to the US up 17% and to Australia up 61%
This isn't a story of unchecked growth, nor of a retreat from global markets. Instead, it reflects a more thoughtful approach to where and how colleagues travel, and the level of support businesses expect around every journey.
More than a quarter (26%) of SMEs say they're actively avoiding certain regions or routes, while 55% are now less willing to send employees to the Middle East.
In practice, this is driving a marked change in travel patterns: businesses are continuing to travel but re-routing via alternative global hubs and prioritising destinations perceived as lower risk.
In this context, Europe has consolidated its position as the go-to region for many SMEs.
68% of SMEs expect to travel to Europe most frequently over the next year
40% say they're now more likely to send colleagues there in light of current geopolitical uncertainty
Europe's strong air connectivity, relative political stability and shorter travel times all feed into a sense of reduced risk, and greater control. For many organisations, it's become the default choice for meetings, conferences, and client visits that might previously have been hosted further afield.
Yet even within Europe, risk is far from uniform. Businesses are asking more detailed questions about security, infrastructure, healthcare access, sustainability and contingency planning in each destination. That's where a proactive, human-led travel management approach makes a tangible difference.
Our survey findings underline how seriously SMEs now take their responsibility to protect travelling colleagues:
Route choice is no longer purely about cost and convenience
Risk appetite's being actively discussed at board level
Many SMEs are building stricter internal approval processes for higher-risk trips
Our role is to turn these policies into practical, workable journeys. That means:
Designing trips that reflect each organisation's specific risk profile, from preferred hubs and airlines to connection times and stopovers
Providing clear, timely information on risks and alternatives so decision-makers are never forced into a “travel or don’t travel” binary
Ensuring travellers know exactly who to contact and what support's available before, during and after every trip
While many SMEs are currently more cautious about the Middle East, for some sectors and markets it remains a vital region: for client visits, strategic projects or essential connections. Our survey shows 55% of SMEs are less willing to send employees there, but “less willing” doesn't always mean “not going”.
For businesses that do need to travel to or via the Middle East, our focus is on:
Honest, current advice: exploring routing options, stopover alternatives and timing considerations, as well as local conditions in each city or hub.
Tailored risk mitigation: from selecting hotels in safer neighbourhoods to arranging private or vetted transfers and ensuring access to medical support and security assistance through appropriate partners.
Scenario planning: agreeing in advance what happens if a route changes, a connection's missed or a situation escalates, so travellers are never left to figure it out alone.
Real-time support: with a dedicated Travel Counsellor and 24/7 assistance, travellers have a named expert and a round-the-clock safety net behind every decision they make on the road.
The aim isn't to push businesses towards or away from any given region, but to provide the clarity, control and reassurance they need to make informed choices that align with their own risk thresholds.
At Travel Counsellors for Business, we put duty of care and proactive support at the heart of every journey.
If you'd like to review your current travel patterns, understand your options for safer routing, or sense-check your duty of care approach, we're here to help you design a travel programme that keeps your people protected and your business moving forward. Get in touch today for a no-pressure chat.
Discover why technology alone isn’t enough to build a resilient business travel programme. Learn how proactive human support, 24/7 traveller assistance, and dedicated business travel experts play a critical role in delivering effective duty of care and keeping travellers supported when disruption strikes.
From graduate scheme recruit to Business Development Manager, George understands what today’s corporate clients need most — trusted relationships, proactive support, and travel programmes designed around people.
Adapt your travel strategy with smart airline options that keep your people moving confidently, while avoiding key transit regions in the Middle East.