Booking Holdings announced it will hold a conference call on October 28, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss third quarter financial results. The release will be posted on the IR website at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET, and the audio will be available for replay for seven days.
SAP Concur published an article on AI applications in travel, expense, and invoice management. AI has been infused into its solutions for nearly a decade, reducing repetitive tasks and empowering finance teams with insights. Applications include ExpenseIt scanning receipts, Verify auditing millions of expense reports to flag outliers and potential fraud, and Intelligent Audit blending AI with human expertise to uncover non-compliant spending. AI also enables real-time policy enforcement, natural-language queries, and more accurate travel cost forecasting. SAP Concur emphasizes it does not use customer data to train external models and follows SAP's global AI ethics policy.
SAP Concur published an article on AP automation strategies, metrics, and solutions. It notes AP has shifted from a back-office function to a strategic powerhouse, recommending tracking metrics such as invoice processing cycle time, cost per invoice, exception rate, touchless processing rate, and staff time on supplier inquiries. According to industry benchmarks, top performers achieve invoice processing time of 3.1 days, cost per invoice of $2.78, exception rate of 9%, touchless processing for nearly half (49.2%) of invoices, and 13.4% of time (5.36 hours weekly) on inquiries. The article also covers Concur Invoice's end-to-end automation and a roadmap from manual to touchless AP.
SAP Concur published an article on the benefits of integrating travel and expense management solutions. Bringing Concur Travel and Concur Expense onto a single platform delivers 2x faster expense report processing, 55% reporting significant cost reductions in travel booking and expense reporting (average 21% decrease), and 80% improved compliance. The article lists six reasons, including scalability, broad travel content (11x more policy-compliant hotel options, 30+ low-cost global air carriers and NDC content, rail access through Trainline), transparency, and end-to-end integration. SAP ranked #1 for 2023 market share in the T&E market with 49.6%.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on 24 September 2025, with no significant changes after review. The territory is a British Overseas Territory administered by a commissioner based in the Falkland Islands. The FCDO states no travel can be guaranteed safe and advises travellers to read the full guide and obtain travel insurance covering itinerary, activities and emergency expenses.
The US Department of State issued a travel advisory for Antarctica on 23 September 2025, at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. The advisory cites environmental hazards from extreme and unpredictable weather and limited emergency services. There are no US government consular services in the Antarctic Region; the closest US embassies and consulates are in Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa. US government resources in the region are committed to the US Antarctic Program.
The US Department of State issued a travel advisory for Antarctica on 23 September 2025, at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. The advisory cites extreme weather and limited emergency services, notes no US consular services in the Antarctic Region, and lists the closest embassies in Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa. It recommends buying insurance, travelling with a professional guide or IAATO member organisation, enrolling in STEP, preparing a contingency plan, and contacting the State Department's Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs.
SAP Concur announced it won a 2025 G2 Best Software Award in the Best Accounting and Finance Software category, marking its fifth consecutive year of recognition. In G2's Fall 2025 Grid Reports, SAP Concur was named a Leader in four categories: Expense Management, Travel Management, Invoice Management and AP Automation, earning 65 leader awards. G2 is visited by 90 million software buyers annually and hosts over 2.8 million verified user reviews.
SAP Concur published an article addressing five common misconceptions, emphasising that it is not just an expense reporting tool but an integrated platform connecting travel, expense and invoice. The article highlights features including AI-driven fraud detection, tax compliance, VAT reclaim and invoice automation, serving finance, travel management, IT, HR and procurement. New Concur Travel offers a consumer-grade booking experience while ensuring policy compliance.
SAP Concur published an article noting that nearly half of finance leaders worldwide know of a company in their professional network that experienced spend management fraud in the past three years. The article highlights the costs of manual expense management, including missing receipts, time-consuming reports, out-of-policy purchases, unclaimed VAT and fraud risks. Automated expense management can reduce risks and improve productivity, citing a study estimating a T&E solution saves 13 hours weekly per finance or accounting team member.
SAP Concur published an FAQ guide on employee expense reimbursements, covering definitions, reimbursable expenses, receipt requirements, payment methods, timelines, tax treatment and alternatives. The guide states reimbursement amounts should exactly match expenses, employees must provide itemised receipts, reimbursements are not considered income for employees and are not taxable, and businesses can treat reimbursements as expenditures that may reduce tax liability. Alternatives include advances, per diems, corporate cards and purchasing cards.
SAP Concur published an article on mileage calculation and tracking methods, including standard rate, actual expense, GPS apps and odometer. The article notes the IRS sets the standard mileage rate annually, at 70 cents per mile from 1 January 2025. The reimbursement formula is total business miles multiplied by the reimbursement rate. It recommends using the Drive app to automatically upload to Concur Expense and emphasises records should be timely, detailed and accurate.
Amadeus released a global study covering 2,000 UK travellers. Friends and family recommendations remain the top source of inspiration for UK travellers (36%), but generative AI use grew 60% year-on-year, travel influencers 33% and social media ads 27%. AI use grew 146% in China, 82% in Singapore, 64% in Spain, 53% in India and 30% in the US. Among UK travellers, 70% would consider biometrics and 64% would use door-to-door baggage services. 80% agree provider quality emerges in disruption handling, and 81% would rebook with providers who handle disruptions efficiently.
Amadeus released its Connected Journeys: How Technology Will Transform Travel in the Next Decade study, surveying 9,500 travelers across China, France, India, Singapore, Spain, the UK and the USA. Generative AI usage rose 64% year over year; 42% valued time savings, 37% personalized recommendations and 36% discovering new destinations. 64% would pay for an in-trip AI travel assistant, and 17% would pay up to five percent of total trip value. However, 25% encountered outdated or inaccurate AI information and another 25% found AI unable to capture personal preferences. 90% of air travelers reported some anxiety, 69% favored biometric gateways and 66% showed interest in remote baggage check-in.
Amadeus released a global study covering 2,000 US travellers. Social media is now the primary source of travel inspiration, with 34% of US travellers using it, up 21% year-on-year. Generative AI saw the fastest growth, with 17% of US travellers using AI tools, up 30%. 68% of travellers are willing to pay a one-off fee for an AI travel assistant, averaging 5.8% of total trip cost. 61% of Americans favour biometrics at airports.
Amadeus and Lufthansa, both partners in the EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium Large Scale pilot project, successfully tested the EUDI Wallet this summer for online check-in and in-person airport scenarios including check-in, bag-drop and boarding. Available to citizens in 2026 and provided by Member States, the EUDI Wallet securely stores identity documents such as passports and national ID cards, payment methods and biometric profiles. Amadeus has enhanced its Travel Ready solution to provide infrastructure enabling third-party wallets to operate with the travel industry, and plans to test digital travel credential use cases such as airport security and border control later in 2025.
Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysian business travel management company Corporate Information Travel (CIT) selected Amadeus as its digital transformation partner and will migrate its business to the Amadeus Travel Platform for more comprehensive air content and modern capabilities. Founded in 1985 and recently marking its 40th anniversary, CIT offers instant airline reservations, ticketing and corporate ticketing facilities with fares from more than 130 airlines worldwide. CIT said it aims to build a future-proof, scalable system so consultants spend less time on repetitive tasks, and to launch a modern client-oriented website including NDC content.
SAP Concur released the eBook Leading the Charge, Leading the Change in Travel Management, outlining modernization of its travel platform. Concur Travel improved car rental, hotel, air and rail content, with air connectivity ensuring full content access including GDS, NDC, EDIFACT and aggregators. AI and machine learning identify booking patterns and spot potential fraud and policy violations; the Joule AI assistant personalizes flight recommendations; Request Assistant uses generative AI for trip cost estimates; and ExpenseIt analyzes hotel folios. New virtual card payments for hotels add spending controls and visibility.
The U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Sierra Leone, urging increased caution due to crime, unrest and inadequate health infrastructure. Violent crimes such as robbery and assault occur frequently, especially in Freetown, and police struggle to respond due to limited resources. The advisory says not to travel outside the Freetown peninsula after nightfall; U.S. government employees are prohibited from travel outside the capital after dark, and the U.S. Embassy in Freetown cannot offer emergency services outside Freetown at night. Demonstrations and protests can occur with little warning and occasionally turn violent. Local health facilities, services and pharmacy reg…
The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Sierra Leone on September 15, 2025, urging increased caution due to crime, civil unrest, and inadequate health infrastructure. Violent crime such as robbery and assault occurs frequently, especially in Freetown, and police struggle to respond due to limited resources. Travel outside the Freetown peninsula after nightfall is discouraged; U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling outside the capital after dark, and the U.S. Embassy in Freetown cannot offer emergency services outside Freetown at night. Demonstrations can occur with little warning and occasionally turn violent. Health facilities, services, hygiene,…
SAP Concur published an article emphasizing the importance of corporate duty of care, citing its 7th Annual Global Business Travel Survey: 65% of business leaders perceive more risk in today's environment and 75% say employees' expectations about duty of care are higher than ever; 53% of CFOs think travel managers should do more to support traveler safety, while only 38% of travelers feel their travel manager is doing enough to ensure their wellbeing; 92% of travelers are willing to decline a business trip for reasons like safety, social or environmental concerns, or work-life balance impact, and 40% would refuse a trip out of safety or social concerns about the destination. The article not…
Amadeus and UN Tourism published the Travel Insights 2025: Focus on the Americas report, based on Amadeus Navigator360 data. From July 2024 to June 2025, air traffic to the Americas rose 1.8% year-on-year, with South America leading regional air capacity growth at 6% and passenger traffic up 5.9%. China is the fastest-growing origin market for South America, with searches up 311% and bookings up 30%. Brazil and the U.S. lead in search activity, while Argentina tops actual travel. Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile perform well in both searches and bookings, with Paraguay leading booking growth at 9%. Florianopolis, Rio de Janeiro, and Lima remain leading destinations, while nature-focused locatio…
Amadeus and UN Tourism published the Travel Insights 2025: Focus on the Americas report, based on Amadeus Navigator360 data. From July 2024 to June 2025, air traffic to North America grew 1.1% year-on-year. The U.S., Canada, and Mexico remained the top three origin markets, while the UK rose to fourth. China (+7%) and Japan (+4%) were the fastest-growing international origin markets. North America hotel occupancy reached 74% in June 2025, slightly ahead of June 2024; ADR held steady above $160 in most months, with Canada peaking at $187 in June. New York and Los Angeles were the most booked destinations, Orlando rose to third, and Chicago rose to fifth. Nashville (+3%), Calgary (+2%), and D…
Amadeus and UN Tourism released the Travel Insights 2025: Focus on the Americas report, drawing on Amadeus Navigator360 data. Air traffic across the Americas rose 1.8% year on year from July 2024 to June 2025, with South America (+6%) and Central America (+4%) leading capacity expansion. The Americas welcomed 217 million international arrivals in 2024, generating about USD 451 billion in international tourism export revenues including passenger transport. Mexico, Argentina and Colombia ranked among top origin markets, while China and Japan posted the highest search growth to the region at +143% and +32% respectively.
The Travel Insights 2025: Focus on the Americas report by Amadeus and UN Tourism shows Mexico emerging as a leading destination and international air hub. Air traffic across the Americas rose 1.8% year on year, and Mexico's searches grew 22%, ranking it among the top five origin markets. North American hotel occupancy reached 74% by June 2025, with Mexico's ADR under USD 140. Mexico is attracting new long-haul routes from Asia and Latin America, while the U.S. still accounts for over 80% of new air routes in North America.
Amadeus and UN Tourism published the Travel Insights 2025: Focus on the Americas report, based on Amadeus Navigator360 data. Caribbean winter travel peaks from December to March, while Central America passenger demand rose 3.1% year-on-year. Peru (+15%), Argentina (+15%), and Puerto Rico (+9%) lead travel growth to the Caribbean, with search interest surging in China (+427%), Mexico (+47%), and Peru (+46%). In Central America, the U.S. remains the top market but bookings dropped 7%, while China showed a 413% increase in searches. The Caribbean added 177 new air routes, led by the U.S. with 44. Hotel occupancy exceeded 80% in Aruba and Puerto Rico during Q1 2025. Bahamas winter ADR exceeded…
Perth Airport has partnered with Amadeus to deploy an end-to-end biometric passenger system covering check-in to boarding. The airport will add close to 100 new self-service check-in kiosks and replace nearly 40 traditional check-in counters with bag drop units. Travelers on selected airlines can opt for biometrics at self-service kiosks, then validate identity at bag drop and boarding with a brief face scan, keeping passports and boarding passes in their pockets. The project enables Australia's first fully automated departure process using biometrics, building on collaboration dating to 2015 and biometric trials from 2022.
SAP Concur published a blog urging finance leaders to periodically review their travel and expense (T&E) programs, offering eight key questions: whether T&E is defined consistently, whether spend can be managed in hybrid and remote settings, spend agility, fraud reduction, whether compliance protects both company and employees, whether the T&E system needs change, whether employees will actually follow the expense policy, and whether the right tools measure success. It notes employees use more payment methods and categories, and that without visibility and controls, spend data scatters, compliance slips and costs rise, citing that companies lose an average of 5% of annual revenue to fraud.
SAP Concur blog post compares its TrustRadius ratings with Navan. As of August 20, 2025, SAP Concur has an overall score of 8.3/10 (from 1,826 reviews) compared to 7.4 for Navan. It highlights SAP Concur's strengths in expense, travel, invoice, automation, integration, long-term value, and support, citing customer testimonials and ROI data.
SAP Concur blog post discusses how to measure and maximize ROI from AI investments. It cites the 2024 CFO Insights survey showing 51% of CFOs have embraced AI, up from 15% in August 2023. However, 58% admit limited understanding. Gartner forecasts that by 2025, costs could overshadow returns for 90% of AI projects. The article suggests starting with small wins and considering non-financial impacts.
The U.S. Department of State reissued its Armenia travel advisory after periodic review, keeping it at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) due to areas of potential armed conflict. The border region with Azerbaijan is Level 4 (Do Not Travel). U.S. Embassy employees and their families cannot travel for non-essential reasons to Gegharkunik region east of Vardenis, Syunik region east of Goris, and Syunik region south of Kapan; travel through Yeraskh village in Ararat region is allowed but stopping is not. The advisory mentions enrolling in STEP, reviewing the Country Security Report, preparing an emergency plan, and strongly recommends buying insurance.
The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" travel advisory for Armenia due to areas of potential armed conflict. The advisory says not to travel to the border region with Azerbaijan for any reason, and restricts U.S. Embassy employees and family members from non-essential travel to areas east of Vardenis in Gegharkunik, east of Goris and south of Kapan in Syunik. Travel through Yeraskh village in Ararat region is allowed, but stopping is not.
Amadeus signed an agreement with Scandic Hotels, the largest hotel chain in Scandinavia, to deploy the Amadeus Agency360 Enterprise Solution, marking the first enterprise adoption of Agency360 in Scandinavia. The travel intelligence software tracks travel agency bookings from the industry's three major GDSs and will help Scandic analyze agency data across its 280 properties in the Nordics as well as Poland and Germany. The enterprise edition provides 12 months of forward-looking data and 24 months of historical insight, with bookings analyzable by owner, property category, and region.
SAP Concur blog post offers four finance resilience strategies for CFOs: controlling costs, building certainty through compliance automation and spend visibility, learning from peers, and aligning finance with business strategy. It notes that 59% of finance leaders are frustrated by lack of spend data visibility and emphasizes measures such as automating invoice processing and centralizing spend data.
Booking Holdings announced that CFO Ewout Steenbergen will participate in a fireside chat at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference in San Francisco on September 11, 2025. The presentation begins at 10:10 am PT and will be available via live audio cast and replay. Booking Holdings is the world's leading provider of online travel and related services, with brands including Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable.
Bulgaria Air expanded its long-term collaboration with Amadeus, broadening its IT deal and signing a full content distribution agreement. The carrier will migrate to Amadeus Reference Experience, a self-service interface, and adopt Enhanced Re-accommodation and Disruption Transfer for disruption management. Through Travel Intelligence modules such as Traffic Analytics and Schedule Analytics, the airline can use market data to improve route planning and capacity utilization. Amadeus-connected travel sellers worldwide will gain access to the carrier's up-to-the-minute schedules, fares, seat availability, and inventory.
A SAP Concur blog post notes that energy and utilities companies must comply with safety mandates such as NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection standards and sustainability guidelines including CDP, SASB and GRI. A survey found 34% say their current T&E solution will not meet evolving requirements over the next two years, 33% use a solution without sustainability tracking, and 44% treat sustainability data capture as a requirement of their T&E solution. The post argues automation and AI can cut manual errors, strengthen audit and cybersecurity, citing SAP Concur data that AP automation saves 12 hours per week per finance employee.
A SAP Concur blog post argues corporate compliance has moved from a back-office function to a business imperative. 77% of business leaders say detecting and managing risk is at an all-time high and nearly three-quarters worry they are falling behind. It outlines compliance team roles (officers, auditors, legal advisors, analysts) and responsibilities spanning regulatory compliance, policy development, risk assessment, monitoring, training and incident response, citing ACFE data that organizations lose up to 5% of annual revenue to fraud.
A SAP Concur blog post states financial crime accounts for up to 5% of global GDP, with an estimated $800 billion to $2 trillion laundered annually. In the U.S., financial institutions face penalties of up to $500,000 per violation. It says organizations handling international travel, cross-border payments or complex expense categories must comply with AML rules, and describes how real-time transaction monitoring, enhanced due diligence, intelligent risk assessment and simplified reporting can reduce compliance risk.
SAP Concur highlights four key benefits of Concur Expense: cash flow visibility, risk minimization, streamlined workflows, and scalability. By automating data imports and integrating with ERP and other systems, Concur Expense improves efficiency, enhances compliance, and supports multiple currencies and complex regulations.