Those organising travel services on behalf of major corporations still consider mobile as the biggest challenge to them and the industry.

A survey of 150 leading travel buyers for the Travel Technology Europe trade show found that mobile is the technology that “excites” them the most, ahead of the gimmicky virtual reality and areas such as payments and artificial intelligence.

Such enthusiasm still leads travel buyers, however, to identifying mobile technology as that of biggest issues facing the sector.

Again, mobile is ahead of other, complex challenges such as fraud, competition and the decision by the UK to leave the European Union.

As a result, the majority of travel buyers claim they spent more on technology investments during 2016 than they did the previous year.

Only one in ten say budgets decreased over the same period.

The frequency of those investments is varied, with 29% saying their organisations make new investments in tech at least each quarter, with the same number doing so at the most every six months.

Around a quarter will back new technology every 12 to 24 months.

Despite the challenges and the enthusiasm, some 35% of travel buyers say they a prioritising investment in “guest-facing experiences” in the year ahead, ahead of the 27% who will support mobile technology.

None will financially back areas such as virtual reality or augmented reality.

When asked if they consider consumer-facing online travel agencies as a threat, 57% say OTAs are a moderate one but “only to hoteliers who to be proactive”.

Only 14% say OTAs are a “serious threat”, whilst 29% say they are a “moderate threat to all”.

NB: Business travel image via Pixabay.