By Alisa de Gaspe Beaubien, CEO of Groupize.ai
Business travel has undergone a complete transformation over the past several years. From my vantage point leading Groupize.ai, I’ve watched economic turbulence, technological breakthroughs, and evolving traveler demands reshape our entire industry in ways we never anticipated.
The 2025 GBTA Business Travel Index delivers compelling evidence of where we stand today—and reveals the trajectory ahead.
Global business travel spending will reach an unprecedented $1.57 trillion this year, climbing 6.6% from 2024, with momentum building toward even stronger growth in 2026. These impressive numbers tell only part of the story. The real insights lie in the underlying trends and emerging risks that will define our path forward.
Growth—With a Measured Approach
While spending is reaching new heights, the rate of expansion has moderated. This year’s 6.6% growth forecast is down from the double-digit surges of the past two years. The revision reflects the realities of ongoing trade tensions, inflationary pressures, and the unpredictable nature of global politics. For context, 2024 closed at $1.47 trillion in spend—slightly below last year’s forecast and still 14% shy (when adjusted for inflation) of pre-pandemic travel volumes.
The message is clear: we are in a phase of careful, sustainable growth. The $2 trillion global spend milestone is still in sight, but it’s now expected to arrive a year later than previously predicted.
Regional and Sectoral Shifts
Momentum is not uniform across the map. North America is leading the charge, with business travel spending expected to grow by 9.6% in 2025—well ahead of the global average. Asia-Pacific, meanwhile, is set for a 6% increase.
The United States is poised to reclaim its position as the world’s largest business travel market, ahead of China, Germany, Japan, and the UK. Other countries, including India, the UK, South Korea, Canada, and Turkey, are also registering impressive growth, some near or above 10%. At the sector level, the picture is nuanced: Manufacturing is grappling with trade policy volatility, while Arts & Entertainment and Professional Services are already surpassing pre-pandemic spending.
Policy, Risk, and the Path Forward
Uncertainty remains a constant companion. Shifting trade policies, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions are shaping both the pace and direction of recovery. The demand for group meetings and events will be closely tied to how these risks evolve in the months ahead.
Traveler Sentiment—and the Technology Shift
There is, however, cause for optimism. Eighty-six percent of surveyed business travelers continue to see value in their trips, and the average spend per trip is on the rise. Technology adoption is accelerating: more organizations are embracing digital expense management, AI-powered booking, corporate payment solutions, and mobile wallets. These shifts are at the heart of how meetings and events technology providers can deliver real value.
A New Baseline for Pricing
Perhaps one of the most significant changes for travel buyers and suppliers is the new pricing reality. The post-pandemic period brought sharp price increases, especially as supply struggled to keep up with demand and costs rose for labor and fuel. As we approach 2025, price growth is stabilizing, with annual increases now in the single digits.
Yet, it’s important to recognize: 2019 is no longer a relevant benchmark. We’re operating on a permanently higher cost base. Even modest increases today represent significant jumps compared to the pre-pandemic era. This reality demands greater scrutiny of travel budgets and a stronger imperative to demonstrate value, control costs, and connect spend directly to business outcomes.
The ROI of Purposeful Travel
The BTI underscores the powerful impact of business travel and meetings. New research suggests that for every $1 invested, U.S. companies can realize $14.60 in net operating margin, while underinvestment is costing U.S. firms over $2.4 trillion in potential new sales. In the UK, a mere £94 increase in travel spend per employee could unlock £319 billion in additional sales. For organizations still viewing travel as a mere expense, these numbers are impossible to ignore.
Meetings and Events: A Landscape in Flux
For those managing meetings and events, the landscape is shifting rapidly. Managed programs are rethinking sourcing and rate strategies, embracing more flexible and technology-driven approaches. Buyers are modernizing RFP processes and seeking partners who offer transparency, innovation, and a clear connection between meetings and broader business outcomes.
Event technology providers have a vital role to play—streamlining bookings, enhancing decision-making, delivering actionable analytics, and elevating the attendee experience. Solutions that offer real-time reporting, dynamic budgeting, and seamless integration with travel policies are quickly becoming indispensable.
Charting the Path Ahead
In light of these realities, here are the focus areas for meetings and events solution providers and travel managers alike:
- Data-Driven Decisions: With every dollar under scrutiny, robust analytics that tie travel and event activity to revenue and margin impact are essential.
- Cost Management and Policy Alignment: Buyers need granular control and visibility as pricing realities shift away from old norms.
- Traveler Experience and Enablement: Today’s travelers expect frictionless, mobile-first, and self-service experiences.
- Risk Monitoring: Rapidly changing macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions demand real-time risk intelligence as a core capability.
- Sustainability: Regulatory expectations—especially in EMEA and North America—are raising the bar for carbon tracking, sustainable sourcing, and transparent reporting.
Conclusion: Navigating With Clarity and Purpose
Business travel and meetings are back—but not as we once knew them. Growth is robust, but caution is warranted. The case for investing in purposeful, collaborative travel has never been stronger, but so too has the demand for transparency and measurable ROI. Those of us building technology for this space have both a responsibility and an opportunity: to address these challenges head-on, and to help organizations thrive in a more complex world.
Our approach at Groupize.ai is to listen closely, move quickly, and empower companies to maximize the impact of every event dollar. The next chapter in business travel will be defined by resilience, adaptability, and proactive value creation. Those who deliver on these fronts will shape a smarter, more sustainable industry for years to come.
Let’s harness these insights—and our collective expertise—to create solutions for the travel rebound and beyond. That’s the future we’re building at Groupize.ai.
To watch the 2025 GBTA BTI Forecast launch video featuring Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA; Jon Gray, Principal, Rockport Analytics and Michael Brown, Principal U.S. Economist, Visa.
