Originally published September 29, 2022 | Updated August 2026
Business travel has changed significantly in recent years. After the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, international business travel has returned to growth, while companies and travellers are adapting to higher costs, new technologies, sustainability requirements and changing expectations.
For companies, business travel remains an important part of sales, customer relationships, conferences, trade fairs, training and international business development. At the same time, businesses are becoming more strategic about when employees travel, how trips are booked, and how travel spending is managed.
To understand the current state of the industry, we have collected some of the most important business travel statistics and facts for 2026, covering global spending, business travel volumes, accommodation, corporate travel policies, traveller behaviour and emerging trends.
Business Travel Statistics at a Glance
- $1.71 trillion is the forecast global business travel spending for 2026.
- 1.84 billion business trips are expected to be taken worldwide in 2026.
- Global business travel spending is forecast to increase by 7.2% in 2026.
- Global business travel spending reached approximately $1.59 trillion in 2025.
- Business travel spending is expected to surpass $2 trillion by 2030.
- 74% of business travellers surveyed by GBTA said they were travelling as much as or more than in previous years.
- 28% of business travellers expected to take more business trips in 2026 than in 2025.
- 41% of business travellers took one or two business trips in 2025.
- 44% took between three and ten business trips in 2025.
- 15% travelled more than ten times for business during 2025.
Global Business Travel Spending
Business travel is once again a major global economic activity. According to the latest Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Business Travel Index, global business travel spending is forecast to reach $1.71 trillion in 2026, representing a 7.2% increase compared with 2025.
Global business travel spending reached approximately $1.59 trillion in 2025. GBTA expects the market to continue growing and forecasts global business travel spending to exceed $2 trillion by 2030.
The increase in spending does not simply reflect more people travelling. Higher transportation and accommodation costs are also contributing to the rise in total business travel expenditure.
How Many Business Trips Are Taken Around the World?
For the first time, the 2026 GBTA Business Travel Index includes an estimate of global business travel volume. Approximately 1.84 billion business trips are expected to take place worldwide in 2026.
This represents an increase of around 1.3% compared with an estimated 1.82 billion business trips in 2025.
The relatively modest increase in the number of trips compared with the much larger increase in spending highlights an important trend: business travel is becoming more expensive even when travel volumes grow more slowly.
How Often Do Business Travellers Travel?
Business travel frequency varies significantly between employees, industries and job roles.
According to GBTA's 2026 research:
- 41% of business travellers took one or two business trips in 2025.
- 44% took between three and ten business trips.
- 15% took more than ten business trips during the year.
This means that a relatively small group of frequent travellers continues to account for a significant share of business travel activity. Sales teams, executives, consultants, event professionals and employees working across international markets are among those most likely to travel regularly.
Are Business Travellers Travelling More Again?
The recovery of business travel has continued, although the pace varies between markets.
GBTA's 2026 research found that 74% of business travellers were travelling as much as or more than in previous years. In the Asia-Pacific region, the figure was even higher, with 80% reporting that their travel activity had remained stable or increased.
Looking ahead, 28% of business travellers expected to travel more in 2026 than they did in 2025.
These figures suggest that business travel has moved well beyond the initial post-pandemic recovery period and has become a normal part of international business activity again.
Business Travel in Europe
Europe remains one of the world's most important business travel markets because of its dense network of major cities, international companies, trade fairs and transportation connections.
GBTA forecasts that European business travel spending will reach approximately €389.9 billion in 2026, an increase of 8.2% compared with 2025.
European business travel spending is expected to increase further to approximately €414.5 billion in 2027.
Major European business travel destinations include cities such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam, Madrid, Milan and Barcelona. International trade fairs and conferences are an important driver of business travel to many of these destinations.
Business Travel and Trade Fairs
Trade fairs remain an important reason for employees to travel internationally. Exhibitors, buyers, sales teams, executives and industry professionals regularly travel to major exhibition centres to meet customers, find new suppliers, launch products and build partnerships.
In fact, live events continue to be an important source of corporate travel demand. Deloitte's corporate travel research found that approximately two-thirds of surveyed travellers had travelled or expected to travel for a live event.
This is particularly relevant for companies operating internationally. A single major trade fair can bring thousands of professionals together in one city over just a few days.
Business Travel and Hotel Accommodation
Accommodation is one of the most important components of any business trip. For companies attending major conferences and trade fairs, hotel demand can increase significantly around important events.
GBTA and CWT's global business travel forecast estimated an average global hotel daily rate of approximately $166 for 2026.
Hotel prices can vary considerably depending on destination, season and event demand. During major international trade fairs, accommodation close to exhibition centres can become particularly difficult to secure.
For this reason, companies attending large trade fairs often benefit from booking accommodation well in advance, especially when travelling with multiple employees or requiring several rooms for several nights.
What Do Companies Consider When Booking Business Travel?
Corporate travel programmes are increasingly focused on balancing traveller needs with cost control.
Deloitte's 2025 Corporate Travel Study found that 54% of travel managers identified cost as one of the main factors restricting business travel.
At the same time, companies are becoming more disciplined about how employees book travel. Around 49% of business travellers surveyed said they always use corporate booking tools, while 60% of travel managers reported that their companies were increasing compliance with prescribed booking processes.
This reflects a wider shift towards more structured corporate travel management. Companies want employees to have convenient travel options while also maintaining visibility over spending, policies and traveller safety.
Business Travel Budgets
Corporate travel budgets remain relatively resilient, although companies are becoming more cautious about costs.
Deloitte reported in 2025 that 74% of surveyed travel managers expected their travel budgets to increase. Looking ahead to 2026, 68% expected their budgets to increase, while 9% anticipated budget cuts.
For companies, the challenge is increasingly about achieving the right balance between travel costs and business value.
Instead of simply reducing the number of trips, many organisations are looking more closely at which journeys generate the greatest return, including customer meetings, conferences, training and industry events.
Business Travel Costs Are Still a Major Consideration
The cost of travelling for work has become increasingly important to companies and employees.
According to the latest GBTA/CWT forecast, average global business travel prices in 2026 were expected to include approximately:
- $708 for an average air ticket.
- $166 for an average hotel daily rate.
- $48 for an average daily car rental.
- $172 per attendee per day for meetings and events.
These are global averages, meaning actual prices can vary substantially between destinations and during major events.
For trade fair travellers in particular, hotel prices can be significantly higher during peak exhibition periods than during normal weeks.
Business Travel and the Rise of Bleisure
The combination of business and leisure travel, often referred to as bleisure, continues to influence the way people plan business trips.
Business travellers may choose to extend a work trip by a day or two in order to explore the destination, visit friends or enjoy some personal time.
Bleisure is particularly relevant for international trips because long-distance travel can make extending a business trip more practical.
For employers, this also creates new considerations around travel policies, accommodation, expenses and insurance. Companies should clearly define which parts of an extended trip are business expenses and which are the employee's personal responsibility.
Business Travel and Sustainability
Sustainability has become an increasingly important consideration for corporate travel programmes.
Companies are looking at ways to reduce the environmental impact of business travel through measures such as more efficient travel planning, rail travel where practical, fewer unnecessary trips and greater use of technology for meetings that do not require physical attendance.
However, the continued growth of international business travel shows that companies still see significant value in meeting customers, partners and colleagues in person.
The challenge for travel managers is therefore not necessarily to eliminate business travel, but to make each trip more purposeful and efficient.
Technology and Business Travel
Technology has changed almost every stage of the business travel process.
Employees can now research flights and hotels, manage itineraries, check in digitally, communicate with colleagues and access travel information from their smartphones.
Companies are also using technology to improve travel policy compliance, manage expenses and monitor travellers.
Artificial intelligence is becoming another important development. AI tools are increasingly being explored for travel planning, customer service, data analysis, personalisation and operational efficiency.
For business travellers, the result is a travel experience that is increasingly digital, while personal interaction remains important when employees arrive at their destination.
Business Travel and Traveller Safety
Traveller safety remains a major consideration for companies sending employees abroad.
GBTA's 2026 research found that 67% of business travel buyers identified employee safety while travelling as a concern, up from 56% earlier in the year.
Geopolitical uncertainty, transportation disruptions and changing regulations can all affect international business travel.
Companies should therefore maintain clear travel policies, provide employees with relevant destination information and have procedures in place for dealing with unexpected disruptions.
Business Travel Is Becoming More Strategic
One of the biggest changes in business travel is the growing focus on return on investment.
Companies are increasingly asking whether a trip is necessary, what business objective it supports and what results are expected from the journey.
Trade fairs, conferences and customer meetings remain particularly valuable because they can combine several objectives into a single trip. An employee may meet existing customers, identify new prospects, attend educational sessions and research competitors during the same event.
This makes well-planned business travel an important tool for companies operating across multiple markets.
What These Business Travel Statistics Mean for Companies
The latest statistics show that business travel is not disappearing. Instead, it is becoming more selective, more technology-driven, and more focused on value.
Global spending is forecast to reach a record $1.71 trillion in 2026, while the number of business trips is expected to reach approximately 1.84 billion.
At the same time, higher travel costs, geopolitical uncertainty and sustainability requirements are encouraging companies to manage their travel programmes more carefully.
For businesses, this means that effective travel planning is more important than ever. Choosing the right event, arranging transportation, coordinating meetings and securing suitable accommodation can all contribute to a more successful business trip.
Business Travel Statistics: Key Takeaways
- Global business travel spending is forecast to reach $1.71 trillion in 2026.
- Approximately 1.84 billion business trips are expected worldwide in 2026.
- Global business travel spending is forecast to grow by 7.2% in 2026.
- European business travel spending is expected to reach approximately €389.9 billion in 2026.
- 74% of surveyed business travellers said they were travelling as much as or more than in previous years.
- 28% expected to travel more in 2026 than in 2025.
- 44% of business travellers took between three and ten trips in 2025.
- 54% of travel managers identified cost as a major restriction on business travel.
- 67% of business travel buyers identified traveller safety as a concern.
- Average global hotel daily rates were forecast at approximately $166 in 2026.
The Future of Business Travel
The business travel industry has entered a new phase. The extraordinary disruption caused by the pandemic has largely passed, but companies are not simply returning to the way they travelled before 2020.
Instead, business travel is becoming more strategic. Companies are considering the value of each trip, employees expect greater flexibility, technology is becoming more deeply integrated into travel programmes and sustainability is playing a larger role in decision-making.
At the same time, the continuing growth in global business travel spending demonstrates that face-to-face business remains important.
For companies attending international trade fairs and business events, careful travel planning can make a significant difference. Booking accommodation early, choosing a convenient location, and coordinating travel for the entire team can help reduce stress and improve the overall event experience.
Planning Business Travel for Your Next Trade Fair?
Major international trade fairs can create intense demand for hotel accommodation, particularly in cities where large exhibitions attract thousands of visitors.
Fair Point GmbH helps companies find suitable hotel accommodation for trade fairs and business events around the world. Whether you are travelling alone, with colleagues or with a larger corporate group, our team can help you find accommodation that matches your requirements.
Planning your next business trip or trade fair visit? Contact Fair Point for help finding suitable hotel accommodation.
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