South and Southeast Asia Business Travel Spending to Hit $679 Billion by 2025: Insights from Tumodo, ETTravelWorld

Tumodo, the AI-powered corporate travel management platform, has reported strong recovery in business travel across South and Southeast Asia, in line with global trends. Worldwide corporate travel spending is projected to increase by 10.8 per cent , from USD 1.48 trillion in 2024 to USD 1.64 trillion in 2025. Within this, the Asia-Pacific market is expected to close the year at USD 679 billion, driven by longer corporate trips, technology-led efficiencies, and sustainability priorities.

Singapore remains the regional leader, accounting for 22 per cent of South and Southeast Asia’s business travel market in H1 2025, followed by India (20 per cent ) and Thailand (15 per cent ). Indonesia (13 per cent ), Malaysia (10 per cent ), Vietnam (8 per cent ), the Philippines (7 per cent ), and Bangladesh and others (5 per cent ) made up the remainder. Tumodo noted that April and May were the busiest months, influenced by post-Ramadan travel, major industry events, and renewed corporate budgets.

Key corridors included Kuala Lumpur–Singapore, Bangkok–Singapore, Denpasar–Singapore, and Manila–Singapore, alongside international routes such as Bangkok–Seoul and Bangkok–Hong Kong. Singapore, Bangkok, and Dubai remained the leading gateways for intra-Asia and intercontinental business travel.

Tumodo’s pricing insights revealed domestic Indian routes, including Ayodhya–Delhi and Kochi–Bengaluru, were among the most affordable, averaging below INR 6,000. Regional connections such as Jaisalmer–Jaipur and Srinagar–Delhi averaged around INR 12,000. Premium long-haul routes showed wide variance: Mumbai–London business class ranged from USD 2,000 to 2,200, while San Francisco–Tokyo and Los Angeles–Sydney averaged USD 1,100–1,400. Globally, fares fell 1.8 per cent in H1 2025 due to lower jet fuel prices and competition, though accommodation rates rose 3–5 per cent in Asia-Pacific, with luxury hotels in Singapore and Bangkok climbing as much as 6.5 per cent .

In India, IndiGo remained the preferred carrier for domestic corporate travel, while Air India gained traction. Globally, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific held their position as the most favoured for business travellers, supported by strong connectivity and premium service.

Average trip duration across the region was 5–7 days, with MICE and wellness-related trips extending to 6–8 days. Shorter domestic trips averaged four days in India and Bangladesh, while outbound trips typically exceeded six days.

Deepthi Kumar, CEO of Tumodo India, said: “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, Tumodo highlighted that AI-powered booking and compliance systems are improving cost control, reducing policy violations, and enabling earlier bookings. Sustainability goals are increasingly shaping travel decisions, with companies adopting carbon-tracking tools, greener transport, and environmental frameworks in their travel programmes.