The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Brazil travel advice on 29 September 2026, adding information about elections on 4 October and political events. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to certain river areas in western Amazonas State. Brazil's general election first round is on 4 October, the second round is scheduled for 25 October, and the presidential inauguration will be held in Brasília on 5 January.
The US State Department maintains Rwanda at Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) due to crime and unrest. Some areas have increased risk, particularly within 10 km of the border with the DRC, which is Level 4 (Do Not Travel). Volcanoes National Park is not included. Travelers are advised to stay aware, avoid night travel, and have an emergency plan.
SAP Concur announced its Expertise and Care portfolio, including Advanced Care, Select Care, Essential Care, and Service/Premium Assistant for SMBs. These services combine expert guidance to optimize configurations, increase adoption, and stay ahead of change. It also introduced the SAP Micro-App Hub, offering ready-to-use apps to extend Concur functionality.
Amadeus reported Q1 2026 results: group revenue increased 3.1% to €1,682.6 million, up 7.9% at constant currency; adjusted EBIT was €500.0 million, up 6.6% at constant currency. Air distribution revenue grew 0.1%, impacted by Middle East situation in March. Air IT solutions revenue grew 7.5%, and hospitality & other solutions grew 3.2%. The company continues its planned acquisition of IDEMIA Public Security.
The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 travel advisory for Burma, advising against all travel due to armed conflict, civil unrest, arbitrary enforcement of laws, poor health infrastructure, landmines, unexploded ordnance, and crime. The situation remains volatile following the 2021 coup. U.S. government employees face travel restrictions, and family members are not permitted. Travelers are urged to avoid demonstrations and crowds and have contingency plans.
The U.S. Department of State maintains a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for Burma due to armed conflict, civil unrest, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, poor health infrastructure, landmines, unexploded ordnance, and crime. The advisory was updated with no change in level. U.S. government employees face travel restrictions, and family members are not permitted to accompany them. The advisory highlights risks from IEDs, landmines, arbitrary detention, limited healthcare, conscription laws, and scam centers. Travelers are urged to avoid demonstrations, stay on main roads, and have evacuation plans that do not rely on U.S. government assistance.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updated its travel advice for Argentina with new information about Hantavirus. Travelers are advised to obtain appropriate travel insurance and read the full guidance for safety.
The article emphasizes that K-12 finance leaders must treat audit readiness as a daily task, using standardized processes, embedded controls, and unified systems to ensure every expenditure is traceable and compliant. SAP Concur offers spend management solutions to help districts streamline processes, improve transparency, and navigate complex funding requirements.
Ctrip Corporate Travel whitepaper shows China's business travel market is expected to grow 9.3% in 2026, with domestic travel trending to lower-tier cities. Cross-border orders for Chinese companies have grown over 30% for three consecutive years, with SME outbound orders up 78% in 2025. Destinations are shifting from traditional developed markets to Belt and Road countries, with Vietnam rising in importance. Cross-border travel management is entering the execution phase, with payment and settlement issues prominent.
Ctrip Corporate Travel released its 2025-2026 Business Travel Management Market Whitepaper, highlighting accelerated AI adoption in business travel. 59% of companies intend to or are trying to integrate AI capabilities with enterprise systems. 53% of business travelers have experienced AI features, with about half saying it improved efficiency. Usage of AI itinerary recommendations, planning, and booking exceeds 65%. Meanwhile, 62% of companies have strengthened cost control, shifting focus to reducing hidden losses.
Mindtrip, in partnership with Sabre and PayPal, launched Mindtrip Flights, claiming to be the first all-in-one conversational AI flight booking experience. Powered by Sabre Mosaic and PayPal's agentic commerce services, users can search, compare, and book flights through conversation. PayPal Buy Now, Pay Later options are available, with 5,000 points for spending $250+.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Jamaica with new information on sexual assault incidents in tourist areas and personal safety measures. It also reminds of Hurricane Melissa's impact, with significant damage in western parishes, ongoing lack of electricity and water in some areas, limited healthcare, and risks of water-borne and mosquito-borne diseases.
The U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory for Lebanon, maintaining Level 4: Do Not Travel due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, landmines, and armed conflict. On February 23, non-emergency U.S. government employees and family members were ordered to depart. Embassy personnel face travel restrictions, and the U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services. The FAA has issued a NOTAM and SFAR warning of risks in the Damascus FIR.
ACI World released its Policy Agenda 2030 on 5 May 2026 in Montreal, setting out four airport-industry policy priorities: airports as businesses, airport capacity enhancement, safety, security and operations, and sustainable growth and decarbonization. ACI World warned that outdated regulatory frameworks risk constraining global air travel growth, capacity and sustainability, and urged governments and regulators to act on capacity, connectivity, resilience and socio-economic value. The agenda complements ACI World's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and aligns with the ICAO Strategic Plan 2026-2050.
The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 1 travel advisory for Iceland, indicating travelers should exercise normal precautions. Iceland is generally safe, but travelers should be aware of rapidly changing weather, active volcanoes, earthquakes, and petty crime in tourist areas. The advisory recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for emergency alerts.
Booking Holdings announced that CEO Glenn Fogel will participate in a fireside chat at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference in Boston on May 20. A live audio cast and replay will be available.
The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 1 travel advisory for Iceland, advising normal precautions. Iceland has rapidly changing weather, volcanoes, and earthquakes, and petty crime is common in tourist areas. Travelers should review weather and natural disaster information and stay aware.
SAP Concur published a blog discussing challenges higher education institutions face during ERP migrations, emphasizing that spend management should not be disrupted. The article notes that ERP transformations impact the entire campus, including finance, operations, and HR. SAP Concur claims its solution integrates with various ERPs, helping institutions maintain consistent travel, expense, and invoice processes during system changes.
American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) has announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by Long Lake Management for $9.50 per share in cash, valuing the company at approximately $6.3 billion. The transaction is supported by investors including General Catalyst and Alpha Wave, and is expected to close in the second half of 2026. Amex GBT will become a private company, and the American Express brand licensing agreement will remain in place.
American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) reported strong Q1 2026 financial results, with revenue up 35% year-over-year to $840 million and adjusted EBITDA of $150 million. The company highlighted total new wins value of $3.4 billion and a 96% customer retention rate, and launched AI-powered Complete and next-gen Egencia. Due to the announced acquisition by Long Lake, the company has suspended earnings calls and financial guidance.
The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisory for Burkina Faso due to crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and health risks. U.S. government employees are restricted from traveling outside Ouagadougou, and nighttime travel to certain neighborhoods is discouraged. A state of emergency is in effect in several regions, with high risks of violent crime and terrorist attacks, and limited medical facilities.
The U.S. Department of State has raised its travel advisory for Jordan to Level 3 'Reconsider Travel' due to terrorism and armed conflict. Following hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, Jordan faces threats of drone and missile attacks and significant disruptions to commercial flights. Non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families were ordered to depart on March 2. Certain areas, including borders with Syria and Iraq, are under Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisories.
The U.S. Department of State updated its travel advisory for Burkina Faso, maintaining the Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisory and adding a 'health' risk indicator. The advisory cites crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and health risks, with restrictions on U.S. government employees traveling outside Ouagadougou and recommendations to avoid nighttime travel to certain neighborhoods. A state of emergency is in effect in several regions, and medical facilities are limited.
SAP Concur blog discusses that after finance teams deploy automated expense tools, early results are positive, but inconsistencies emerge later, such as out-of-policy expenses being approved and teams interpreting policies differently. This stems from a lack of governance. With global business travel spend projected at $1.69 trillion, small inconsistencies can multiply. The article recommends aligning policy design, approval logic, and governance to ensure automation delivers consistency and confidence.
SAP Concur blog discusses T&E challenges in healthcare M&A. CMS requires accurate cost reporting within 150 days of close, but many organizations spend 6-18 months reconciling systems, risking reimbursement delays and penalties. The article emphasizes multi-entity cost reporting, clinician compliance, multi-jurisdiction policies, and audit readiness, proposing a 90-day phased approach.
SAP Concur's CFO Insights report, based on a survey of nearly 1,000 finance leaders, reveals cybersecurity as the top external challenge (46%), with data breaches averaging $4.4 million. Leaders also struggle with AI ROI measurement, data quality, and skills gaps. Recommendations include strengthening governance, using new KPIs for AI ROI, and investing in data foundations and upskilling.
Alibaba Group announced it will report its unaudited financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, before the U.S. market opens on May 13, 2026, and will hold a conference call the same day. Participants must pre-register, with English and Chinese dial-in options. The earnings release and slides will be available on the IR website.
Alibaba Group announced it will report unaudited financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, before the U.S. market opens on May 13, 2026, and will hold a conference call at 7:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (7:30 p.m. Hong Kong Time) the same day. Participants must pre-register and will receive dial-in numbers, a passcode and a unique PIN. A live webcast will be available, with a replay accessible for one week from the conference date.
The U.S. State Department updated the travel advisory for New Zealand, maintaining Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). New Zealand is generally safe. Travelers are advised to enroll in STEP, review the Country Security Report and CDC health info, and buy insurance.
Amadeus announces intention to acquire IDEMIA Public Security (IPS) for €1.2 billion to strengthen biometric and identity capabilities, creating seamless travel journeys. IPS employs ~3,300 and serves 600+ customers. Closing expected mid-2027, with earn-out up to €1.35 billion. This accelerates Amadeus' growth in airports and border verticals.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism survey, domestic travel trips reached 1.901 billion in Q1 2026, up 6.0% year-on-year; total spending was 1.86 trillion yuan, up 2.9%. Urban residents made 1.403 billion trips, up 6.5%; rural residents made 498 million trips, up 4.6%.
Booking Holdings reported first quarter 2026 results: room nights grew 6% year-over-year, gross bookings increased 15% (8% on a constant currency basis), and revenue grew 16% (10% constant currency). Net income rose 225% and adjusted EBITDA grew 19%. The Middle East conflict negatively impacted room night growth by approximately 2 percentage points. The company effected a 25-for-1 stock split on April 2.
The U.S. Department of State has raised the travel advisory for Chad to Level 4 (Do Not Travel) due to risks of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, inadequate health infrastructure, kidnapping, and landmines. Outside N'Djamena, the U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency services. U.S. government employees require special authorization to travel outside the capital, and Embassy N'Djamena has imposed in-city restrictions, including limits on night driving areas and mandatory armored vehicle use.
The U.S. Department of State maintains Bolivia at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) due to crime and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk, particularly Chapare Province which is Level 4 (Do Not Travel) due to crime. U.S. government employees need special authorization to travel to Chapare. Petty crime is common in tourist spots, and demonstrations can occur with little warning, potentially disrupting transportation.
The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 3 'Reconsider Travel' advisory for Azerbaijan, citing terrorism, armed conflict and landmine risk, with some areas at increased risk. The advisory says that following the onset of hostilities between the United States and Iran on 28 February 2026, there has been an ongoing threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran; a drone strike hit Nakhchivan International Airport on 5 March 2026, and commercial flights have been seriously disrupted. It lists specific areas not to travel to, including the southern border region, the border with Armenia and several landmine-affected territories.
The U.S. State Department maintains Level 3 advisory for Azerbaijan (Reconsider Travel) due to terrorism, armed conflict, and landmines. Hostilities between the U.S. and Iran have led to drone and missile threats, with a drone strike on Nakhchivan airport and serious flight disruptions. Avoid southern border, Armenia border, and mined areas.
The U.S. State Department updated the travel advisory for Lithuania, maintaining Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). Lithuania is generally safe. Travelers are advised to enroll in STEP, review the Country Security Report, be aware of surroundings, and buy insurance.
The U.S. Department of State raised Chad's travel advisory to Level 4 (Do Not Travel) and added a 'health' indicator. Reasons include crime, terrorism, civil unrest, inadequate health infrastructure, kidnapping, and landmines. Outside N'Djamena, the U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency services. Government employees require special authorization to travel outside the capital, and the embassy has imposed in-city restrictions.
Booking Holdings will release its first quarter 2026 financial results on April 28 and hold a conference call to discuss the results.
Ctrip Corporate Travel held its first Global Business Travel Partner Conference in Shanghai, unveiling its 'Ctrip Corporate Travel AI Ecosystem' and the '2025-2026 Business Travel Management Market White Paper'. The AI ecosystem covers the entire travel process with 7 AI agents, reducing booking time to 1-2 minutes. The white paper shows Chinese enterprises' outbound business travel has grown over 30% for three consecutive years, with destinations shifting to Belt and Road countries, and Vietnam orders up 100% year-over-year.