If the future of business travel had a boarding gate, the sign above it would read “Asia Pacific” — and the GBTA APAC Conference 2025 just taxied it straight onto the runway.
Held under the crystalline lights of Singapore’s Raffles City Convention Centre — a venue that sounds like it should serve martinis with your keynote — this year’s gathering saw over 950 delegates from 32 countries put their lanyards to good use.
These weren’t just any clipboard-clutching attendees. Among them were 268 corporate travel managers, a posse of travel suppliers, and enough PowerPoint presentations to send Microsoft’s share price soaring. There were also nearly 50 sponsors and exhibitors — because what’s a conference without a branded stress ball or a logoed water bottle?
The event was co-hosted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) — who, if business travel had a United Nations, would hold permanent council status — and the Worldwide ERC (WERC), who handle the mysteries of global workforce mobility with all the precision of a Swiss watchmaker.
Turning Jet Lag into Jet Fuel
The stats didn’t just roll in — they strutted across the Main Stage like runway models. Suzanne Neufang, GBTA’s Chief Executive Officer (and unofficial oracle of travel forecasts), laid out figures from the GBTA Business Travel Index (BTI) that had the crowd straightening their lanyards.
Business travel in the Asia Pacific region is expected to soar to a thumping USD 679 billion by the end of 2025 — a 10.9% bump from 2024. For a sector battered by border closures and digital fatigue, that’s not just recovery; it’s a renaissance.
And who’s doing the heavy lifting? South Korea leads the dance with a projected growth of 28.3%, followed by India at 23.9%, Australia at 14.0%, and Japan, ever the stoic powerhouse, clocking in at 10.9%.
China, too, continues to loom large. With five APAC markets ranking among the world’s top 15 for business travel spend, the region is, quite literally, where the travel rubber meets the runway.
More Trips, More Tech, More Tailwinds
Asia Pacific’s road warriors are also, it seems, an intrepid breed. According to BTI data, business travellers here are more likely to clock six or more trips annually, typically stretching over three days.
And when they travel, they come armed: 69% use mobile wallets and 62% have corporate cards ready to swipe. While other regions are still figuring out contactless boarding passes, APAC’s already halfway to biometric hotel check-ins.
But it’s not just about moving bodies from boardroom to ballroom. These travellers are serious about ROI. An astonishing 81% say business travel is worthwhile in achieving their professional objectives. Sixty-one percent even turn their work trips into a cheeky holiday — because why fly all that way and not throw in a beach towel?
A Green Revolution on the Go
If sustainability once felt like the kale smoothie of business travel — talked about, rarely consumed — it’s now on the main menu.
Delphine Millot, GBTA’s sustainability supremo, took to the stage with insights from the Sustainability Acceleration Challenge. Her verdict? Asia Pacific is shedding its training wheels and gearing up for greener journeys.
Approximately 54% of regional companies now incorporate sustainability criteria into their travel policies, and over two-thirds have integrated sustainability tools into their booking platforms. By the end of 2025, 59% will be tracking emissions — a figure that’s doubled since 2024.
The message was clear: fly smarter, track harder, and don’t forget the planet in your carry-on.
People, Policy, and Peter (No, Not Me… Yet)
It wasn’t all pie charts and carbon calculators. There were accolades too, handed to those helping steer this ever-evolving sector.
The GBTA Business Travel Service Awards in APAC honoured:
- Peter Koh, Chair, APAC Advisory Board
- Sandeep Shastri, Sabre Asia Pacific Pty Ltd.
- Kenji Soh, GM, FCM Travel, Southeast Asia
These aren’t just names — they’re navigators in the turbulence of travel transformation.
And GBTA’s regional roots are growing deeper still. New advisory boards were announced in India and China, offering localised insights to steer this high-flying industry better.
A Vote of Confidence (Literally)
Mark Cuschieri, GBTA Board President, used his welcome address to call on APAC members to vote in the upcoming GBTA elections. Why? Because 2025 marks the first time the region will have a dedicated, elected APAC Regional Board seat — a sign that Asia Pacific’s voice in the industry isn’t just being heard; it’s being amplified.
Elections run from June 2 to July 8. And if you’ve ever muttered about travel policy over a coffee in Changi, here’s your chance to shape it.
Co-Location, Collaboration, and Conference Carpets
Since 2022, GBTA and WERC have co-located their APAC events, and if the record-breaking attendance is anything to go by, it’s been more successful than an upgrade to business class.
As Anupam Singhal, WERC President & CEO, put it: “Our collaboration expands our reach, strengthens our community, and helps our members navigate global talent mobility.”
Elle Ng-Darmawan, GBTA’s APAC Regional Director, was equally buoyant: “Attendance was up nearly 20% this year. That says it all.”
Next stop? Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, May 12-13, 2026. Book your calendar, pack your suitcase, and don’t forget your business cards.
Final Boarding Call
If this year’s GBTA Asia Pacific Conference proved anything, it’s that the region isn’t just flying again — it’s soaring.
With billions in spending, rising sustainability standards, and tech-savvy travellers leading the charge, Asia Pacific is setting the pace for global business travel’s bold new era.
And if Peter Needham were there in person, he’d have raised a glass at the networking drinks, just after filing his copy, on deadline, with a wink and a flourish.
By Michelle Warner
