Tumodo, the AI-powered corporate travel management platform, reports that the business travel sector in South and Southeast Asia is recovering in step with the global rebound, as worldwide corporate travel spending is set to grow 10.8% from $1.48 trillion in 2024 to $1.64 trillion in 2025. According to Tumodo’s H1 2025 insights, Singapore, India, and Thailand lead regional demand. April and May emerged as the busiest months, fuelled by major industry events, post-Ramadan travel, and renewed budgets. The Asia-Pacific market is projected to reach $679 billion by year-end, driven by longer, higher-value corporate trips and rapid adoption of AI-powered booking platforms.
Market overview and key business corridors
Tumodo’s internal data for H1 2025 indicates that Singapore led with 22% of total business travel market in region, followed by India (20%) and Thailand (15%), driven by strategic location, economic growth, and robust hospitality and MICE sectors. Other key markets included Indonesia (13%), Malaysia (10%), Vietnam (8%), the Philippines (7%), and Bangladesh and others (5%).
Driven by finance, technology, MICE tourism, and cross-border trade, key high-traffic corridors included Kuala Lumpur–Singapore, Bangkok–Singapore, Denpasar–Singapore, and Manila–Singapore. International routes such as Bangkok–Seoul and Bangkok–Hong Kong strengthened trade and financial ties. Singapore, Bangkok, and Dubai remained the leading gateways for regional and intercontinental business travel.
Pricing
In H1 2025, according to Tumodo, the most budget-friendly routes included domestic connections in India, such as Ayodhya–Delhi and Kochi–Bengaluru, both priced under 6,000 rupees. As well as regional links like Jaisalmer–Jaipur and Srinagar–Delhi, the average fare is around 12,000 rupees. At the premium end, business class fares for Mumbai–London ranged from USD 2,000 to 2,200, while long-haul luxury corridors such as San Francisco–Tokyo and Los Angeles–Sydney commanded average business class prices between USD 1,100 and 1,400.
Average global airfares in H1 2025 are projected to fall by 1.8% compared to 2024, with economy class dropping by $22 and business class by $78. Long-haul US–Asia routes were 11% cheaper in H1 2025, supported by lower jet fuel prices and competition from low-cost carriers. In contrast, according to Tumodo’s internal data, accommodation rates rose where Asia-Pacific saw a 3–5% increase, with luxury hotels in key hubs such as Singapore and Bangkok up by as much as 6.5%.
Popular Airlines in India
According to Tumodo’s internal data, IndiGo remained the most popular airline for business travellers in India during H1 2025, carrying the largest share of domestic trips. Air India, also saw notable growth, with a rising number of corporate travellers choosing its services. Globally, carriers such as Qatar Airlines, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific maintained top-tier status, recognised for their strong Asia-Pacific connectivity, premium service, and reliability.
Trip Duration
The average business trip in the region lasted 5–7 days, with MICE and wellness-related travel extending to 6–8 days. India and Bangladesh saw shorter domestic trip durations (~4 days), while outbound trips from these markets averaged 6+ days. Travel durations were influenced by factors such as visa flexibility, event schedules, and the use of AI-driven itinerary planning to maximise trip efficiency.
Deepthi Kumar, CEO Tumodo India, added: “Asia’s business travel market is transforming. We are seeing smarter, greener, more strategic travel that delivers tangible business value and aligns with sustainability goals. Gulf enterprises have a major opportunity to ride this momentum by investing in technology and building strong Asia connections.”
Looking ahead, corporate travel programmes across the region are becoming more technologically advanced and environmentally conscious. AI-powered booking and compliance tools are improving cost control, enabling earlier bookings, and reducing policy violations dramatically. At the same time, sustainability goals are reshaping travel decisions, with carbon-tracking tools, greener transport choices, and frameworks.
About Tumodo
Based in India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan, Tumodo is an online B2B travel platform that assists businesses in optimising corporate travel. Tumodo offers cutting-edge AI algorithms, a user-friendly interface, and round-the-clock assistance that allow customers to plan and organise their travel in a matter of minutes while saving up to 35% on associated costs.
