As the global economy continues to evolve, the business travel industry enters 2025 with confidence and determination. The latest Business Travel Outlook Poll from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) underscores an industry on the rise, with travel volumes and expenditures projected to increase despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainties and economic fluctuations.
Business Travel Growth: A Promising Start to 2025
According to the GBTA’s Q1 Business Travel Industry Outlook Poll, nearly half (48%) of corporate travel buyers anticipate a rise in business trip volumes this year. In comparison, an even more significant percentage (57%) expect increased travel expenditures. This growth follows a robust 2024, in which 71% of travel buyers reported increased corporate travel bookings compared to the previous year.
North America (NORAM) led global business travel expansion in 2024, with 81% of travel buyers indicating higher spending. Meanwhile, Asia Pacific (APAC) experienced remarkable growth in travel volume, with 78% of buyers reporting a surge in trips compared to 2023.
For 2025, optimism remains strong across regions, with APAC leading in spending expectations—63% of travel buyers in the region plan to allocate “more” or “a lot more” budget towards corporate travel. North America follows closely at 57%, while European buyers display a more cautious approach, with 37% expecting increased travel volumes.
Key Trends Shaping Business Travel in 2025
AI and Technology Integration: A Slow but Steady Shift
Despite the rapid development of artificial intelligence in various industries, AI adoption in corporate travel remains measured. Only 34% of travel buyers plan to integrate AI into their programs this year significantly. However, AI’s potential for optimizing travel policies, expense management, and personalization is expected to grow in the coming years.
Meanwhile, dissatisfaction with Travel Management Companies (TMCs) pushes more corporations to reevaluate partnerships. Nearly one-third (30%) of buyers are considering switching TMCs in 2025, with technology inefficiencies (39%) and service quality concerns (37%) among the top reasons.
Sustainability Commitments: A Growing Priority
Sustainability remains at the forefront of corporate travel strategies, with one-third (33%) of buyers indicating increased investment in eco-friendly travel practices. APAC (55%) and Europe (46%) are responsible for sustainability-focused travel policies, while North American companies continue progressing slower.
Additionally, 29% of organizations prioritise people-focused sustainability efforts, though a quarter of respondents admit to being unaware of their company’s initiatives. The push for greener travel solutions aligns with global efforts to meet carbon reduction goals and enhance corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments.
Workforce Trends: Hiring, Remote Work, and Policy Shifts
The hiring landscape within the business travel sector remains competitive. While only 16% of corporate travel programs plan to expand their workforce, suppliers and TMCs are more aggressive in their hiring strategies, with 41% expecting to add staff in 2025. European suppliers lead the hiring surge at 45%, followed by North America at 35%.
The industry also faces challenges in attracting qualified talent, with key barriers including unattractive salaries (54%), budget constraints for new roles (40%), and the growing demand for remote work (42%). Interestingly, while many companies push for stricter return-to-office policies, nearly half (47%) of supplier/TMC respondents cite remote work preferences as a hiring challenge.
Workplace Policies Evolve Corporate travel workplaces continue to adjust their remote work policies, with many companies requiring employees to spend more time in the office. Over one-third (32%) of GBTA respondents report stricter work-from-home policies in 2025, reflecting broader corporate efforts to reinforce in-person collaboration. However, hybrid work remains the dominant model across Europe (77%), APAC (62%), Latin America (58%), and North America (51%).
Challenges & Opportunities Ahead
Despite anticipated growth, business travel decision-makers remain cost-conscious, prioritizing strategic investments over indiscriminate spending. Companies are expected to optimize travel budgets by focusing on high-impact trips, such as sales and account management travel (27% of total travel spend) and internal company meetings (21%).
Implementing new Distribution Capability (NDC) continues to present hurdles, with 20% of travel buyers citing difficulties in TMCs handling NDC bookings as a reason for seeking new providers. Addressing these challenges will require further advancements in industry-wide digital transformation initiatives.
Methodology & Full Report Access
The findings in this report are based on responses from 786 business travel professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. Data was collected between January 21-31, 2025, as part of the 36th edition of GBTA’s Business Travel Industry Outlook Poll.
For a deeper dive into the complete poll results and key insights, visit GBTA’s research page at GBTA Research.
Conclusion: Business Travel’s Resilient Future
As the industry embarks on 2025, business travel remains a critical driver of global commerce, innovation, and collaboration. While challenges persist, including economic fluctuations, technological integration hurdles, and sustainability imperatives, resilience and adaptation are the overarching sentiment. With strategic investments in AI, sustainable travel, and workforce development, the business travel sector is poised for a year of evolution and opportunity.
Written by: My Thanh Pham
