Confidence is returning to the global business travel industry, with nearly two-thirds of professionals now optimistic about the sector’s outlook for 2027. The latest Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) poll shows that 63% of more than 600 business travel professionals worldwide are optimistic about the next 12 months, a sharp increase from 41% in April and 59% in January.
The rebound comes after a period of uncertainty linked to geopolitical tensions and rising travel costs. At the same time, expectations for business trip volumes, corporate travel spending and supplier revenues have strengthened, suggesting that companies continue to see travel as an important part of business development, collaboration and customer engagement.
Pessimism has also declined considerably. Just 7% of respondents expressed a negative outlook for the coming year, compared with 24% in April. The improvement was visible among both corporate travel buyers and suppliers, with optimism climbing from 39% to 61% among buyers and from 42% to 64% among suppliers and travel management companies (TMCs).
Europe Records Significant Confidence Recovery
Europe recorded the most notable turnaround among the major regions surveyed. In April, 38% of Europe-based respondents were pessimistic and only 21% were optimistic. By September, 55% expressed optimism while just 11% were pessimistic. Despite this substantial improvement, European sentiment remains below the global 63% average.
The changing sentiment is also reflected in expectations for actual corporate travel activity. Around 45% of business travel buyers expect the number of trips taken by their organisations to increase in 2026 compared with 2025, up from 30% in April. Meanwhile, the proportion expecting fewer trips has fallen from 28% to 16%.
Travel budgets are also showing signs of expansion. More than half of buyers, or 56%, expect their organisation’s business travel spending to increase in 2026, compared with 43% in April. Europe-based buyers recorded the highest expectation for increased spending, at 65%.
For suppliers and TMCs, 48% anticipate higher business travel-related revenue, compared with 35% in April. The share expecting lower revenue has also declined, falling from 27% to 14%.
Rising Costs Remain a Major Challenge
The improving outlook does not mean that business travel is operating without pressure. Rising costs remain the biggest factor influencing travel planning among corporate buyers, cited by 69% of respondents. Geopolitical uncertainty followed at 45%, while internal approvals and justification for travel, traveller safety and security, and airline or rail disruption were also identified as significant considerations.
Suppliers and TMCs face a somewhat different set of pressures. Geopolitical uncertainty was their leading concern at 60%, followed by rising operating costs at 44%, pressure from customers to reduce prices or fees at 42%, changes in travel demand at 36% and technology, distribution or AI challenges at 29%.
The broader GBTA outlook reinforces the industry’s resilience. Its 2026 Business Travel Index forecast projects global business travel spending to reach a record $1.71 trillion this year, while worldwide business trips are expected to reach approximately 1.84 billion, up 1.3% from 2025. However, spending is forecast to rise considerably faster than trip volume, highlighting the impact of higher transportation and travel costs.
Regional travel expectations also vary. Nearly half of European buyers, 47%, expect their organisations’ travel within Europe to increase over the next 12 months, while 43% of North American buyers anticipate more travel within North America. By contrast, the Middle East has the weakest destination outlook, with 34% of buyers expecting corporate travel to the region to decline and 14% expecting an increase.
For companies, the renewed confidence appears to be accompanied by a more deliberate approach to travel. Business growth and market expansion are among the leading reasons for increased travel in Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America, while meetings with customers, clients and partners remain particularly important in North America.
The latest figures paint a business travel market that is regaining confidence while remaining conscious of costs, geopolitical developments and operational risks. As organisations plan for 2027, the emphasis is increasingly on making each journey purposeful and connecting travel spending with measurable business objectives. That balance between renewed demand and careful decision-making could shape the next phase of the global business travel recovery.
