US corporate travel manager ALTOUR has unveiled ALTOUR iQ, an artificial intelligence platform for analysing business travel spending, the company said on October 16.
The tool lets travel managers ask questions about programme data in everyday language. It can also produce forecasts and test how different decisions might affect costs, according to ALTOUR.
The company is introducing the platform through a phased commercial rollout. Wider market availability is planned for the first quarter of 2027.
ALTOUR presented the system at Business Travel Show America in New York on October 14. It was a finalist in the event’s Innovation Faceoff competition, which showcases technology for managed travel, meetings and traveller support.
ALTOUR iQ targets travel budget planning
Developed in-house, ALTOUR iQ combines spending analysis with forecasts and scenario testing. Managers can investigate the causes of cost changes, assess risks and compare alternative strategies, the company said.
ALTOUR groups these capabilities into four functions: monitoring performance, explaining cost drivers, anticipating future outcomes and challenging assumptions. The aim is to support budget planning and supplier decisions alongside conventional historical reporting.
Its announcement did not disclose pricing or quantify savings achieved by customers.
Haley Rossow, ALTOUR’s senior director of global business intelligence, demonstrated the platform at the New York event. She said managers could locate savings opportunities, investigate the reasons and test proposed action within a single conversation.
Meanwhile, ALTOUR president Gabe Rizzi said travel managers faced growing demands to show how their programmes supported wider business goals. The platform aims to help teams decide where to intervene before costs or risks increase, he added.
ALTOUR is part of Internova Travel Group and says it has a presence in more than 90 countries. Its services include corporate travel management and meetings and events.
The launch adds to the use of AI tools in travel management. Elsewhere in travel technology, the RevPlus rebrand of WebHotelier-PrimalRes brings hotel distribution products under a single brand.
Source: ALTOUR company announcement.
Photo: Haley Rossow presents ALTOUR iQ at Business Travel Show America in New York. Image supplied by ALTOUR via PR Newswire.
