Additionally, industry buyers and suppliers are increasingly optimistic about the next 12 months, with expectations for travel spending, trip volume and revenue all strengthening despite continued concerns about rising costs and geopolitical risk.
The poll of more than 600 business travel professionals worldwide shows nearly two-thirds (63%) are optimistic about the industry outlook moving into 2027, up from 41% in GBTA’s April poll and above the 59% recorded in January. Pessimism fell from 24% in April to 7%. The sharp drop in confidence reflected in the April poll amid the Iran conflict and concerns over jet fuel prices has now reversed among buyers and suppliers across every major region.
‘Business travel continues to prove its resilience as well as its value as a catalyst for growth, collaboration and customer engagement,’ says Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA. ‘The rebound in sentiment we’re seeing across almost all regions is not simply about more travel, it’s about organisations becoming increasingly deliberate about where and why they travel. That combination of confidence, discipline and strategic investment bodes well for the industry’s momentum.’
Corporate travel buyers and travel suppliers moved in step. Optimism rose from 39% to 61% among buyers, and from 42% to 64% among suppliers and travel management companies (TMCs).
‘Rising costs and geopolitical risk are now part of everyday planning for managed travel programmes,’ says Neufang. ‘Experienced business travel professionals are the people deciding which trips go ahead, keeping travellers safe and holding budgets steady when conditions shift. That expertise is what allows organisations’ confidence in travel and meetings to remain steady and grow.’
