2026 Business Travel Holds Steady, but Confidence Weakens As Risk and Costs Rise

Published April 22, 2026 | By HNR News Staff Reporter

Confidence Declines Despite Continued Travel

New data from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) shows that while organizations continue to travel and hold meetings, sentiment across the industry has weakened significantly since the start of the year.

Just 41% of respondents say they are optimistic about business travel in 2026, down from 59% in January. At the same time, the share expressing pessimism has nearly tripled, rising from 9% to 24%.

“What we’re seeing is not a broad pullback from business travel, but a more deliberate and carefully managed approach to it,” said Suzanne Neufang, Chief Executive Officer of GBTA. “Organizations continue to travel and meet, but they’re doing so while adapting to rising costs, operational friction and escalating geopolitical tensions.”

Geopolitics Emerges as the Dominant Risk

Geopolitical instability has become the leading concern influencing business travel decisions globally.

Nearly eight in ten respondents (79%) cite geopolitical conflict as a top travel-related risk, rising to 92% among European respondents. The impact is already visible in operational decisions, with 50% of organizations reporting route or itinerary changes and an equal share suspending travel to affected regions.

More than three-quarters of travel buyers (76%) say geopolitical tensions are having a moderate or significant impact on their organization’s travel and meetings strategy.

Costs and Complexity Reshape Planning

Beyond geopolitical risk, cost pressures are playing an increasingly central role in shaping business travel decisions.

More than 80% of respondents (82%) cite travel affordability as a growing concern, up from 70% earlier in the year, while 67% highlight employee safety as a key issue.

These factors are contributing to a more cautious approach, with organizations adjusting travel policies, tightening budgets, and placing greater emphasis on risk management.

Volume Holds, But Downside Risk Grows

Business travel activity itself remains relatively stable, but expectations are shifting.

Among corporate travel buyers, 28% now expect travel volume to decline in 2026, up from 16% in January, while only 30% expect growth, down from 35%.

Spending, however, is expected to remain elevated, with 43% anticipating higher travel expenditures—reflecting cost inflation rather than increased trip frequency.

Meetings Strategies Adjust Under Pressure

Organizations are also adapting their meeting and event strategies in response to rising complexity.

More than half of buyers (56%) report making changes in the past three months, including shifting events to virtual formats (26%), canceling meetings (24%), and relocating events to alternative markets (22%).

Despite these adjustments, in-person engagement remains difficult to replace, particularly for sales meetings and conferences, which are cited as the least likely activities to move fully online.

AI Becomes a Strategic Tool

At the same time, companies are increasingly turning to technology to manage complexity.

More than two in five travel buyers (41%) report proactively implementing artificial intelligence in their travel programs, while an additional 28% use AI embedded in existing tools.

AI is being applied to areas such as pricing analysis, spend forecasting, and travel policy management, reflecting its growing role in supporting more informed and adaptive decision-making.

Outlook

The outlook for business travel in 2026 is defined less by a decline in demand and more by rising uncertainty.

While organizations continue to prioritize travel and in-person engagement, rising cost pressures, geopolitical risks, and operational complexity are reshaping how—and where—business travel takes place.

The result is a sector that remains active, but significantly more cautious in how it plans and executes travel.