The U.S. Department of State updated its travel advisory for Nigeria, maintaining Level 3 'Reconsider Travel.' The advisory cites risks of crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, and inconsistent healthcare. Several states are listed as 'Do Not Travel,' including Borno, Yobe, etc. Travelers are advised to remain vigilant, obtain travel insurance including medical evacuation, and have contingency plans.
A SAP Concur blog post explores how AI is transforming travel and expense (T&E) management. Traditional T&E processes rely on employees understanding policies, often leading to errors and inefficiency. AI enables proactive management by providing real-time guidance, automating classification, and identifying high-risk expenses, improving compliance, data accuracy, and efficiency.
Travelport released updates to its Flights API version 25.11.x, introducing features such as requesting mixed cabins per leg for NDC, NDC bundled offers, NDC disruption handling, requesting ATPCO Cat 31/33 penalties for GDS, and enhancements to Premium Flex Search. These updates aim to improve search flexibility, enhance NDC content handling, and better manage disruptions.
Expensify announced preliminary results of its modified Dutch auction tender offer, expecting to repurchase 6,140,642 shares of Class A common stock at $1.20 per share, totaling approximately $7.37 million, representing about 6.9% of outstanding shares. The offer was undersubscribed against the $25 million target. CEO David Barrett stated the company is undervalued and repurchase is an attractive use of capital.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Kosovo travel advice on 23 September 2026, noting that large gatherings are taking place in Pristina and other urban centres, including in the evenings, and could disrupt traffic and public transport. It advises keeping up to date with local developments, allowing extra time for travel, and staying away from large crowds or demonstrations. The FCDO also reiterates that no travel can be guaranteed safe and that travellers should research destinations and obtain appropriate travel insurance.
Amadeus signed a global agreement with Myrealtrip, Korea's leading online travel platform, to expand cooperation in areas such as deploying AI-powered solutions, expanding non-air content (hotels and destination experiences), and exploring adoption of Amadeus Hey! traveler engagement solution. This supports Myrealtrip's growth and digital transformation.
According to SAP Concur data, business travel costs continued to rise in the first half of 2026, with airfare up over 8%, hotel rates up nearly 6%, car rental costs up about 5%, and fuel-related expenses up 22% on average. Despite higher costs, companies largely maintained travel activity, but car rental bookings declined 4%, rail bookings increased 4%, and premium cabin bookings increased 9%.
On June 4, Pan Yixin, senior advisor of the Cross-Strait Aviation Transport Exchange Committee, met with Wu Yingliang, chairman of the Taiwan Travel Association, and they reached consensus on resuming direct cross-strait passenger flights and deepening aviation-tourism integration. The mainland side expressed willingness to actively study measures to facilitate cross-strait travel, while Taiwan industry called for lifting unreasonable restrictions and restoring normal direct flights.
The US State Department updated its Turkey travel advisory, maintaining Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) with no changes to advisory level or risk indicators, but removed an area of increased risk. The advisory cites risks of terrorism, armed conflict, and arbitrary detentions, and specifically lists the border region with Syria and Iraq as Level 4 (Do Not Travel).
The US State Department maintains a Level 2 travel advisory for Turkey due to terrorism, armed conflict, and arbitrary detentions. Some areas have increased risk, with the border region with Syria and Iraq at Level 4 (Do Not Travel). Travelers are advised to exercise caution in crowded public spaces and be aware of terrorism risks.
SAP Concur published a blog post offering strategies for building a cost-saving corporate travel program, covering foundational to advanced practices. The article emphasizes expanding spend visibility, simplifying compliance, uncovering hidden costs, and leveraging automation and AI, as well as strengthening supplier relationships and enforcing pre-spend compliance.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published its second report under Article 89 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, assessing the interdependencies between aviation safety and socio-economic factors affecting safety-critical personnel. Based on surveys, occurrence data from the European Central Repository, and operational datasets, the report found no substantive safety concerns or systemic causal relationship between socio-economic factors and adverse safety outcomes. However, fatigue and lack of communication were consistent factors, and data limitations were identified. EASA will enhance collaboration with Member States and industry to improve data collection and safety promotion.
SAP Concur received the 2026 TrustRadius Top Rated Award in four categories: Expense Management, Travel Management, Spend Management, and Accounts Payable. Based on over 1,000 verified reviews, users highlight time savings, streamlined reimbursement, mobile receipt scanning, centralized booking, and ERP integrations. The award is based entirely on customer feedback, reflecting real-world performance for finance and operations teams.
The U.S. State Department updated the travel advisory for Mali, maintaining Level 4 (Do Not Travel) but reflecting changes to U.S. Embassy operations. The advisory cites crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, and health risks. U.S. government employees are restricted to Bamako, and the embassy has enhanced security. U.S. citizens should have evacuation plans and consider professional security advice.
The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 4 advisory (Do Not Travel) for Mali due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, and health risks. Violent crime is common, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and carjacking. Terrorists may target locations frequented by foreigners. Armed conflict is widespread. U.S. government employees are restricted to Bamako, and the embassy has enhanced security. U.S. citizens should have evacuation plans not relying on government assistance.
Expensify announced the launch of Expensify MCP, connecting expense data to AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, and Cursor via the Model Context Protocol. Users can query expenses, approvals, and spending in natural language without CSV exports or custom scripts. The integration uses OAuth 2.1 for secure access, aiming to make Expensify accessible in AI-driven business environments.
Amadeus Travel Intelligence data reveals a surge in travel demand for the August 2026 solar eclipse, with Spain and Iceland seeing significant interest. Flight bookings to airports along the eclipse path increased 25% year-on-year, with Bilbao (+366%), Asturias (+292%), and Valencia (+137%) leading. Hotel occupancy rose 16% and ADR increased 36%. Short stays (1-5 days) grew 57%, and solo travel increased 48%. Top long-haul markets include the USA, Japan, Argentina, and Canada.
A new GBTA study reveals that U.S. business travel spending reached $538.5 billion in 2024, generating $623.8 billion in economic impact, accounting for 2.1% of GDP, supporting 6.7 million jobs, and contributing $148.6 billion in tax revenue. Meetings and events accounted for 40.4% of total spending. Business travel has a multiplier effect, with each dollar generating $1.16 in GDP. The study covers all 50 states, with California, New York, Florida, Texas, and Illinois leading in spending.
The UK FCDO advises against all travel to Somalia, including Somaliland, except for the regions of Awdal, Maroodijeh, and Sahil, where it advises against all but essential travel. This is due to the threat from terrorist groups and continuing violence. Recently, fighting between al-Shabaab and the Somali Government has increased near Mogadishu. FCDO support is severely limited in Somalia; British nationals should have personal emergency plans not relying on the UK government.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Turkmenistan, noting that escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures and delayed or cancelled flights. Travelers are advised to check travel advice for transit countries, monitor airline and tour operator updates, review insurance policies, and follow local and international media. Additionally, information about COVID-19 testing upon arrival in Turkmenistan was updated.
Travelport released updates to its Flights API, including NDC bundled offers, NDC disruption handling, Air Canada Flight Pass support, request for Cat 31/33 penalties, and Flex Search enhancements. These updates enhance NDC content capabilities such as bundled ancillaries and disruption rebooking/refund flows. Additionally, GDS penalty disclosure and mixed cabin requests are improved. These changes directly impact agencies and developers using Travelport APIs.
The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 3 travel advisory for Rwanda, recommending travelers reconsider travel due to crime, unrest, and health risks. Some areas have increased risk. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency consular services in Rwanda due to the health situation. The CDC has issued a Travel Health Notice for Ebola in the DRC, and the WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Petty crime like pickpocketing is a risk in urban areas, and more serious incidents such as burglary or targeted theft can occur. Armed groups and violence in neighboring countries may spill over into Rwanda; avoid travel within 10 kilomete…
Amadeus, supported by Microsoft, released a report on agentic AI in airlines, based on interviews with carriers including Azul, Icelandair, and Southwest. It identifies five key use cases: automated voice rebooking, agentic commerce, intelligent digital marketing, turnaround management, and personalized offers. The report recommends building strong data foundations, focusing on high-impact workflows, and ensuring governance. Microsoft predicts most airlines will move from exploration to deployment within 18 months.
The U.S. State Department issued a Level 4 advisory (Do Not Travel) for Uganda due to crime, health, terrorism, and unrest. The Ebola outbreak limits the U.S. government's ability to provide emergency consular services. Uganda has temporarily closed border crossings with the DRC, and persons entering from DRC must self-quarantine for 21 days. Crime includes armed robbery, home invasion, and sexual assault. Terrorist groups have targeted religious venues, schools, government buildings, and transportation hubs.
SAP Concur's article explores AI in business travel management, noting 95% of business travelers are open to AI booking but only 7% feel comfortable. It poses 8 questions for travel managers to evaluate AI solutions, including improving travel experience, speeding approvals, personalization, guidance, simplifying complex scenarios, policy guidance, data insights, and expense audits. Data from SAP Concur's 6th Annual Global Business Travelers Research Report.
Perk (formerly TravelPerk) announced the close of a $300 million private credit facility led by Neuberger Specialty Finance, with Blue Owl Capital, Hercules Capital, and Liquidity. Proceeds will accelerate investment in product, technology, and AI, supporting global expansion including the upcoming US launch of its integrated spend platform. Perk grew revenue 48% in 2025, surpassing $300 million in annualized revenue, with gross margins improving from 40% to mid-70s.
Juniper Group has announced the completion of its acquisition of Deem, a corporate travel management platform, from Travelport. Deem provides booking, procurement and trip management solutions for corporations and travel management companies worldwide. As part of Juniper Group, Deem will continue to operate independently under its current leadership team and brand. The acquisition was sponsored by Juniper Travel Technology. Travelport and Deem will continue to maintain a relationship following the transaction.
The UK FCDO updated its travel advice for Canada, adding information about entry requirements for those entering from Ebola-affected regions. Travelers are advised to research destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. FCDO provides risk advice to help make informed decisions.
SAP Concur's article explores AI's dual role in spend management. AI can reduce administrative burden, process large data, and manage complexity, but it can also amplify existing weaknesses like inconsistent data, disconnected systems, and weak governance. The article emphasizes that AI success depends on strong foundations: connected systems, trustworthy data, and clear governance. The future of spend management requires balancing automation with human judgment.
The UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Congo, particularly within 50km of the Republic of Congo-Central African Republic border in Likouala Region. Latest update adds information about Ebola screening on arrival. Travel insurance may be invalidated if traveling against FCDO advice.
Booking.com released the sixth edition of its European Accommodation Barometer, based on a survey of 1,240 executives and managers across 24 markets. Overall, 66% of accommodations expect positive development in the next 12 months, and 60% report a strong economic situation. However, gaps exist between large chains and small independents: 72% of chains report positive economic conditions vs 55% of independents. Cybersecurity readiness also varies, with 94% of large properties feeling prepared vs 60% of small ones.
Expedia Group released global research revealing strong traveler demand for booking and managing full trips on a single platform, including car rentals, flights, activities, and trip protection. The survey of 2,500 travelers across 10 markets found 77% are likely to book multiple trip elements on the same platform. Expedia is expanding its Rapid API ecosystem to enable partners to offer full-trip booking capabilities, driving growth and loyalty.
China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism released its 2025 statistical bulletin, showing domestic tourism trips reached 6.522 billion, up 16.2% YoY; domestic tourism spending reached 6.30 trillion yuan, up 9.5%. Inbound tourists reached 154.5 million, up 17.1%; outbound trips by mainland residents reached 148.36 million, up 20.8%. There were 16,994 A-level scenic spots and 7,586 star-rated hotels.
Jesse Cox, AP and T&E Manager at Solis Mammography, shares five tips for optimizing Concur Invoice: auditing workflows, using vendor setup to reduce manual work, treating compliance configuration as a living document, using reporting to spot AP patterns, and keeping invoice policies aligned with business. Continuous refinement leads to efficiency gains and compliance.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Zambia with new information on entry requirements for travelers from Ebola-affected regions. The advice emphasizes that no travel can be guaranteed safe and recommends appropriate travel insurance.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Botswana with new information on entry requirements for travelers from Ebola-affected regions. The advice emphasizes that no travel can be guaranteed safe and recommends appropriate travel insurance.
Tara Reid, AP Specialist at Barron Lighting Group, shares how fully utilizing SAP Concur Invoice transformed their processes. By integrating with ERP and automating invoice processing, they reduced time on invoicing and expense reports by 50%, maintained a 2:1 AP headcount as volume grew, and achieved zero duplicate ERP entries.
The U.S. Department of State lowered the travel advisory for Cyprus to Level 1, recommending normal precautions. However, the Turkish Cypriot-administered area remains Level 2, advising increased caution. Armed conflict has caused flight disruptions and a drone strike. Travelers should be aware of entry and exit regulations.
Expedia Group announced the appointment of Bill Watkins, former Pinterest executive, as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Global Advertising. Watkins will oversee the growth of Expedia Group Advertising, leveraging its travel media network to connect with high-intent travelers and drive full-funnel impact.
The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 1 travel advisory for Cyprus, recommending normal precautions. Some areas have increased risk, including the UN buffer zone where entry is restricted to designated crossings, and armed conflict has caused flight disruptions and a drone strike.