Business travel confidence is climbing again worldwide, as new technology and changing employee habits reshape how companies plan trips. According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), 43% of business travel professionals say they feel more optimistic about the industry’s future — a 15-point increase since mid-2025. The findings come from GBTA’s 37th Business Travel Industry Outlook Poll, released in October 2025.
The poll, conducted from October 2–15, gathered responses from 591 professionals across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Respondents included corporate travel managers, suppliers, and travel management companies (TMCs). While optimism is rising, many still expect slower growth in trip volume, spending, and revenue through the end of the year.
Optimism Returns but Growth Remains Uneven
Confidence is strongest in Canada, where 54% of respondents are optimistic about business travel’s outlook — more than double the 23% recorded in June. Globally, optimism rose from 28% in June to 43% in October. However, this remains 33% below levels seen in late 2024.
Concerns persist about government policies and their impact on travel budgets. Around 35% of global travel buyers expect a decline in company travel volume in 2025, mainly due to U.S. government actions. They predict an average drop of 19%. Another 30% of buyers expect their company’s travel spending to decrease by a similar amount.
Regional differences are clear. In Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), only 29% of buyers expect a decline in volume, and 23% expect lower spending — the lowest figures among all regions surveyed.
Suppliers are seeing slightly better prospects. Only 37% now expect a hit to business travel revenue in 2025, compared to 48% in June. On average, they forecast a 16% decline. Lodging suppliers remain the most cautious, with 59% expecting revenue to fall. In contrast, just 32% of TMCs expect a decline (down from 48% in June), while 50% of airline professionals foresee a drop in revenue (up from 39%).
How Travelers Are Changing Their Habits
Corporate travel is shifting toward longer, more efficient trips. Key changes include:
- 39% of travel buyers report more multi-stop or “linked” business trips.
- 33% have seen longer trip durations.
- 32% say day trips have decreased.
- 45% of EMEA travel managers report more premium economy bookings.
Company rules are also changing. A majority — 57% — of travel programs now prohibit short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb or Vrbo. Only 8% always allow them. Despite this, 43% of employees sometimes pay out-of-pocket for upgrades not covered by company policy. Their top personal expenses include:
- Flight cabin upgrades – 78%
- Airport lounge access – 30%
- Extra hotel nights – 29%
“This latest poll reflects what has always been the industry’s innate ability to innovate and change – to succeed in the face of challenges,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA. “Business travel is showing signs of resilience and adaptation, with optimism rebounding and new patterns emerging.”
Technology, Accessibility, and the Bleisure Boom
Companies are increasingly embracing “bleisure” travel — the blending of business and leisure trips. GBTA found that 43% of corporate travel programs now have formal bleisure policies. Of these, 71% say it boosts employee satisfaction, and 68% say it improves work-life balance. However, travel managers continue to raise concerns about duty of care (59%), expense tracking (55%), and insurance coverage (46%).
Accessibility remains a challenge. Only 18% of corporate travel managers say their company fully accommodates travelers with accessibility needs, compared with 35% of suppliers. The top accessibility request is improved air travel seating. Barriers include limited employee awareness (50%) and booking complexity (30%).
Artificial intelligence is also reshaping how travel is managed. Nearly half of suppliers and TMC professionals (49%) and one-third of travel buyers (33%) say their companies are already testing or using “agentic” AI tools. These are mainly used for customer service, trip personalization, and automated itinerary planning. Another 51% of buyers plan to use AI for expense reconciliation. Despite enthusiasm, data privacy and system integration remain major concerns.
According to GBTA, the combination of rising optimism, evolving policies, and new technology shows that the business travel industry is adapting once again. While spending and volume growth may remain moderate through 2026, the outlook points to a more connected and resilient global travel sector.
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