Business Travel Forecasts for the Rest of the Year a Mix of Optimism and Shifting Priorities
Various sectors of the business travel industry have released their predictions for the remainder of the year — and they’re all over the place. For some, it appears that geopolitics, tariffs, travel advisories, and border hassles are not enough for companies to keep most travelers home. Others, including the industry’s largest member-focused organization, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), hint at signs of a slowdown.
Summer Travel Optimism
Corporate travel management platform Navan’s new Summer Travel Trend Report reported that summer flight bookings on the platform are up 10% and hotel bookings up 25% compared to last summer.
“We’re seeing strong demand for business travel this summer,” said Rich Liu, CEO of travel. “Executives have businesses to run, they clearly recognize the value of travel, connection, and face-to-face interactions.”
Attendees clearly feel the same way. When the Skift Travel Tracker recently asked the travelers themselves how their travel to meetings, conferences, and trade shows in 2025 compares to 2024, 55% said “Somewhat More” and almost all (96%) said “Much More.”
On the travel management side of the business, findings from the just-released Sixth-Annual SAP Concur Global Business Travel Survey of travelers were also positive. Despite global uncertainties over trade policies, the survey found that the vast majority of respondents, including 93% of travel managers and CFOs, expect their organization’s travel budget to increase or stay the same in 2025 compared with the previous year.
Nearly all travelers (97%) said they were willing to travel for business over the next 12 months; however, 40% said they would think about declining a business trip because of safety or social concerns about a destination.
Kevin Hinton, managing director, group travel, U.S. Travel Association, remains positive. “Overall uncertainty isn’t helpful for meetings and travel, but the underlying fundamentals remain strong. The stock market is fully recovered from earlier this year and setting records.”
“Flattish” Forecast
Despite the positive news, one of the first business travel warning bells of 2025 came from Delta President Glen Hauenstein in April during the airline’s first-quarter earnings call, when he said business travel trends were “choppy,” and that “corporate volumes [are] expected to be flattish” compared with 2024.
That’s in line with GBTA’s Global Business Travel Outlook and Impact survey of travel managers, procurement, and sourcing professionals, which found that 28% of U.S.-based (28%) buyers expect their company’s overall business travel spend to decline as a result of U.S. government actions.
“That’s a notable figure — it reflects that companies are considering when and why they travel as a result,” said CEO Suzanne Neufang.
When it comes to travel to meetings and events located in the U.S., 20% were either considering canceling, or canceling. Purpose, location, safety and cost are all factors in these decisions, she said.
“Travel for client meetings, major conferences, and high-impact engagements that drive business are still seen as essential, even if some lower-priority trips may be scaled back.”
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September 15 – NEW YORK CITY
