As the 2025 transient RFP season comes to a close, it has unveiled transformative insights into the landscape of corporate travel programs. By analyzing data from approximately 1,600 corporate travel programs connecting into the Cvent Transient platform, Cvent has identified key trends and shifts shaping the industry.
We spoke with Brian Sullivan, Vice President of Product Management, to gain his perspective on these findings.
Rate Type Acceptance
Cvent continues to observe a strong preference for fixed rates, with approximately 85% of corporate rates being accepted as fixed. Despite considerable industry discussions around dynamic rates, fixed rates remain the dominant choice among corporate clients.
Over time, there has been consistent year-over-year stability, with more than 80% of companies maintaining their chosen rate types. "Cvent’s clients continue to prefer fixed rates by a significant margin, and programs are behaving consistently in that regard year after year," said Sullivan.
When fixed rates do adjust, the changes are primarily transitions from Last Room Available (LRA) rates to Non-Last Room Availability (NLRA) rates. Additionally, when a dynamic rate component adjusts, they are increasingly moving away from ceiling rates.
Sullivan elaborated, "The shift from LRA to NLRA is likely driven by customers seeking lower rates, but this pursuit must be balanced with the availability of those rates at the time of booking. A lower rate at a hotel will not benefit corporations if it is not available to their travelers when they book."
Dynamic rate acceptance continues to rise in Europe, while early indications for 2025 show North American properties returning to fixed rates.
"While overall numbers at Cvent remain predominantly skewed toward fixed rates, European countries have continued to see an increase in the acceptance of dynamic rates since 2023. In Asia and Latin America, over 90% of rates accepted are fixed. Cvent’s clients clearly desire cost certainty when traveling to these regions," Sullivan pointed out.
Program Size and Coverage
In 2025, corporate accounts that maintained a presence in a market generally preserved their market coverage. However, strategic contractions and consolidations were more prevalent than market expansions, with decreases in market size occurring 32% more frequently than increases.
Sullivan explained, “Buyers are likely looking to gain traction on their rates by concentrating volume into fewer properties. This strategy can help manage costs but must be balanced with ensuring availability for travelers when booking.”
Summary by Top Countries
When examining programs within the top 20 markets, Cvent observed that among those maintaining a presence, 26% of the time, programs had reduced the number of properties they sourced within those markets. This reduction rate is slightly higher than the system rate of 24% across all markets.
Prominent countries such as the United States and Germany experienced significant adjustments in corporate presence, highlighting the evolving dynamics in these regions.
Summary by Top Markets
The largest markets saw a 38% reduction in program presence, reflecting increased volatility and strategic repositioning. Sullivan points out, “More buyers have a presence in larger markets, so it makes sense that we would see this trend. Buyers are adopting more aggressive strategies to gain leverage in the places their travelers frequent most.”
"Thinking locally is crucial to optimizing a global travel program, ensuring that the unique needs and demands of each market are met."
Sourcing Process and Negotiation Duration
Recent trends in sourcing and negotiation practices provide insights to help travel managers optimize their strategies. By examining the average time to complete RFP acceptance and the patterns in negotiation rounds, we better understand the evolving dynamics in travel procurement.
Average Time to Complete Acceptance
The average duration to complete RFP acceptance has decreased from 78 days to 76.6 days over the past two years, despite peaking above 80 days in 2024. Corporations sourcing directly have achieved more significant reductions in RFP completion times compared to those sourcing through Travel Management Companies (TMCs).
"This is an exciting trend for corporations that manage their own travel programs. TMCs are deeply rooted in processes and operate more in bulk with their clients, making it somewhat more challenging to accelerate acceptance times. However, the good news is that across Cvent, more travel programs are decreasing their overall time to acceptance than not," said Sullivan.
Negotiation Rounds
In 2025, zero and one-round negotiations are trending back toward 2023 levels following a significant reduction in 2024, indicating stabilization in negotiation practices. TMCs tend to engage in more negotiation rounds compared to direct corporate clients, reflecting differing strategies.
"I've heard from a customer that a client mandated travel companies to conduct a minimum number of negotiation rounds. The cost of this must be weighed against the savings from each incremental round; it may not be worthwhile. Overall, however, all of our clients are moving toward concluding negotiations in fewer rounds," Sullivan added.
Implications for the Future
Looking ahead to the next negotiation season, several key trends warrant attention:
1. Selective Experimentation with Dynamic Rates
While Cvent observes that corporations continue to prefer fixed rates, both corporations and hotels are fine-tuning their strategies to incorporate dynamic rates more effectively. Dynamic rates are expected to play an increasingly integral role in corporate travel programs.
"A lower rate at a hotel will not benefit corporations if it is not available to their travelers when they book."
"Corporations are showing a tendency to achieve a better balance between fixed and dynamic rates within their programs. Just three years ago, slightly over 20% of programs had between 30-70% of their hotels offering fixed rates. By 2025, this number has grown to 32%. Companies are increasingly recognizing that incorporating both rate types within a program is a strategically sound approach," Sullivan commented.
2. Market Differences Shaping Rate Negotiations
Variations in rate acceptance across different regions and within individual markets highlight the importance of localized strategies in forming effective corporate travel programs.
“Ultimately, a successful travel program understands what each corporation brings to the table in the markets where they operate. Variations in supply availability, market demand, and brand strategies indicate that hotel suppliers have nuanced, localized objectives as well. Thinking locally is crucial to optimizing a global travel program, ensuring that the unique needs and demands of each market are met,” said Sullivan.
Conclusion
The 2025 transient hotel RFP season has revealed several significant shifts and enduring trends within corporate travel programs. As corporations navigate the complex landscape of rate structures, market coverage, and negotiation practices, a comprehensive analysis of Cvent’s dataset, encompassing approximately 1,600 corporate programs, provides valuable insights.
These insights illuminate regional differences, program sizes, and emerging trends, offering a nuanced perspective that is essential for understanding and forecasting future industry strategies.
By leveraging this data-driven approach, corporations can better tailor their travel programs to meet evolving demands, optimize cost management, and enhance traveler satisfaction in an increasingly dynamic market environment.
Stay tuned for future Cvent Transient Insider blog posts, where we will continue to provide you with ongoing insights and explore emerging trends shaping the future of your corporate travel programs.
