While general business travel is surging, the Thomas Cook & SOTC Business Travel Report 2026 identifies critical shifts in how high-value corporate events are being structured. The MICE sector faces immediate financial pressure as 80 per cent of respondents reported a jump in airfares, with over a third seeing increases exceeding 15 per cent. In response, 60 per cent of organisations are aggressively renegotiating hotel and airline contracts and tightening approval workflows to maintain event margins.
A major 55 per cent of corporates are now prioritising GST compliance and ITC optimisation. For MICE organisers, structured invoicing and a “compliant supplier ecosystem” have become mandatory to prevent tax leakage. Domestic hubs — Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru — still command 72 per cent of the market. However, international incentive and meeting interest is cooling on traditional spots in favour of emerging strategic markets like China and Japan, alongside staples like Singapore and Dubai.
While 56 per cent of firms want to prioritise “traveller experience,” they are increasingly using tech-led tools like Dhruv.ai to ensure this experience doesn’t bypass corporate policy.
