The Institute of Travel Management (ITM) is proud to announce the launch of its Platinum Pathways – a flagship new initiative unveiled as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations, marking seven decades as the voice of the UK and Ireland’s business travel community.
 
Created in this landmark year, Platinum Pathways form a central pillar of ITM’s anniversary “Festival of Ideas” – a forward-looking programme designed to inspire collaboration, generate insight and shape the future of managed travel.
 
Collaboration for collective progress
 
Bringing together senior travel buyers and subject-matter experts from across the industry, Platinum Pathways are year-long, topic-led working groups focused on tackling some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing business travel today. Each pathway is designed to deliver practical outputs, guidance and thought leadership that benefit the entire industry.
 
The initiative reflects ITM’s long-standing neutral role within the industry - creating a trusted environment where buyers and suppliers can work together openly, share real-world insight and co-create practical solutions.
 
Industry voices leading the conversation include FCM Consulting and BCD Travel, alongside ITM Board and members across the travel ecosystem. By aligning partner insight with buyer experience, the Pathways ensure discussions remain balanced, credible and grounded in reality – accelerating progress that no single organisation could achieve alone.
 
Addressing the issues that matter most
 
Each Platinum Pathway focuses on a defined strategic theme, exploring both immediate practical applications and longer-term industry implications.
 
Founding pathways include topics such as:
 
-              AI & the Evolution of Travel led by BCD– cutting through hype to identify practical, responsible applications of AI across travel programmes
 
-              The Business Case for Managed Travel led by FCM Consulting – equipping Travel Managers to articulate programme value in business-relevant terms
 
Jo Lloyd, FCM Consulting, Pathway Lead for The Business Case for Managed Travel, added:
 
“Managed travel delivers enormous value to organisations, but that value isn’t always articulated in ways senior leaders recognise.
 
This pathway is about reframing the conversation — helping Travel Managers clearly demonstrate how their programmes support business goals, manage risk and enable productivity, not just control cost.”
 
Across the year, working groups will meet regularly to exchange expertise, test ideas and develop actionable outputs – from toolkits and frameworks to reporting guidance and best-practice recommendations.
 
From insight to industry impact
 
Progress and findings will be shared at key ITM touchpoints throughout the anniversary year, including conference updates, member briefings and collaborative sessions, culminating in formal reports and industry guidance.
 
This structured approach ensures that conversations move beyond theory – delivering tangible resources Travel Managers, suppliers and partners can apply immediately.
 
Sarah Whiting, Senior Director, Solutions Consulting, BCD, Pathway Lead for AI & the Evolution of Travel, said:
 
“AI is one of the most talked about topics in our industry, but many travel programmes are still asking a simple question — what does this mean in practice?
 
Through the Platinum Pathway, we want to move beyond the noise and focus on real-world application. AI is already shaping how travel is booked, serviced and evaluated. This Pathway will provide grounded, scalable practices that deliver value today, while laying the foundation for future innovation.”
 
A platinum milestone with a future focus
 
Commenting on the launch, Scott Davies ITM CEO said:
 
“As we celebrate 70 years of ITM, Platinum Pathways represent exactly what our community stands for – connection, collaboration and collective progress.
 
This initiative is about bringing the industry together to solve shared challenges, build common understanding and shape a stronger future for managed travel.”
 
By convening diverse voices around shared priorities, ITM Platinum Pathways embody the association’s mission to inform, educate and inspire – ensuring its platinum anniversary is not only a celebration of history, but a catalyst for what comes next.