Industry confidence rises, but concerns over spending, accessibility, and u.s. policies remain
Oct 31, 2025
The latest Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) poll shows renewed optimism across the business travel sector, even as companies continue to adapt to economic uncertainty, changing traveler behavior, and the rise of AI-driven technologies. Forty-three percent of industry professionals report increased optimism, up 15 points since midyear, though forecasts for 2025 still anticipate lower travel volume and spending.
Key takeaways
- Rebounding confidence: 43% of business travel professionals are now optimistic about the outlook for 2025 — up from 28% in June, led by strong sentiment among Canadian respondents.
- Government impact: One-third of buyers expect U.S. government actions to negatively affect 2025 travel volume and spending, with an average decline of 19%.
- Evolving travel behavior: Nearly 40% of buyers report more multi-stop and longer trips, while day trips are down and premium economy bookings are rising.
- Policy shifts: Over half of corporate travel programs prohibit short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, yet many employees personally pay for upgrades and added comfort.
- Blended travel benefits: 43% of programs now include policies for “bleisure” trips, which buyers say improve satisfaction and work-life balance, though concerns remain around duty of care and expense tracking.
- Accessibility gaps: Only 18% of companies extensively accommodate travelers with accessibility needs, with booking complexity and low awareness as major barriers.
- AI adoption accelerates: Nearly half of suppliers and a third of buyers are already experimenting with agentic AI for personalization, itinerary planning, and expense automation, though data privacy and system integration remain key challenges.
Get the full story at GBTA
