Smaller cities are emerging as increasingly important contributors to India’s corporate travel market, with Ebix Travels reporting that 40 per cent of its corporate bookings were linked to smaller cities during the first half of FY26.
New Delhi: The company said the trend reflects the expansion of business activity beyond India’s major metropolitan centres, with cities such as Surat, Indore, Vijayawada and Nagpur witnessing increased corporate travel demand.
The growth is being supported by the expansion of manufacturing, technology, infrastructure and services businesses across Tier-2 and Tier-3 locations. As companies establish operations and teams in more cities, business travel is also becoming more geographically distributed.
India’s broader corporate travel market is estimated to grow by around 11–12 per cent in FY26, supported by business expansion, manufacturing activity, improving regional connectivity and the development of corporate corridors outside traditional metros.
The wider industry is also seeing a similar shift. Nearly 60 per cent of corporate bookings during H1 FY26 were reportedly associated with non-metro routes, indicating the growing importance of emerging business destinations to corporate travel networks.
“Business travel is ultimately a reflection of where business is happening. What we are seeing is a more distributed business landscape and, consequently, a more distributed travel landscape,” said Latika Bolar, Business Head, Ebix Travels.
She added that as companies expand operations across multiple locations, corporate travel plays an important role in keeping teams connected and ensuring projects continue to move efficiently. According to Bolar, the trend also highlights the need for technology-enabled travel solutions that can support employees across different business locations.
As corporate travel becomes more distributed, companies are increasingly seeking greater visibility and control throughout the travel process. Ebix Travels provides technology-led corporate travel solutions designed to help businesses manage employee travel while offering organisations improved oversight.
The growing share of bookings from smaller cities points to a broader shift in India’s business travel landscape. As enterprises expand beyond traditional metropolitan hubs, emerging business centres are becoming more integrated into corporate travel networks.
Cities such as Surat, Indore, Vijayawada, and Nagpur are among the locations driving this shift, reflecting the wider spread of economic and commercial activity across India.
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