CORPORATE travel Day-return business trip in decline


GLOBAL CORPORATE travel spending returned to 2019 levels by value in 2024 but not by volume, largely due to sustainability reporting and cost considerations among multinational businesses. The Global Business Travel Association


(GBTA) acknowledged transactions had not returned to 2019 levels in July 2024, with executive director Suzanne Neufang noting travel companies “are ەVSLUW PDNLQJ PRUHbPRQH\ RQ IHZHU She suggested the one-day business


%


10 15 20 25 30


0 5


FIGURE 71: FORECAST CORPORATE TRAVEL SPEND, 2025


28% 20% 16% 12% 10% 8% 6% By purpose


Larger businesses see corporate travel as an opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint


trip by air “went out the door at the beginning of Covid and hasn’t come DQG *%7$ IRUHFDVW FRUSRUDWH ەNFDE travel spending, adjusted for inflation, would not return to pre-pandemic levels XQWLO


7KDW WULJJHUHG D Financial


Times editorial in August hailing “the welcome demise of ‘day-return’ business DQG DUJXLQJ “7HFKQRORJ\ ەVSLUW DLU cost cuts and climate change are at last ە FXUELQJ RXW DQG EDFN ZRUN IOLJKWV When British Airways and Iberia


parent IAG reported results for the six months to June, chief executive /XLV *DOOHJR WROG DQDO\VWV “%XVLQHVV travel continues to recover at different HUۑHZ UDWHV DFURVV RXU DLUOLQHV $W %$ around 65% in volume and 80% in UHYHQXHV FRPSDUHG ZLWK


ە GBTA nonetheless forecast corporate


travel spending worldwide would hit a UHFRUG


WULOOLRQ LQ 15% $ *%7$ VXUYH\


of more than 4,000 business travellers and corporate travel buyers in July found 64% reported increased spending on travel, but 37% said company travel policies were PRUH UHVWULFWLYH WKDQ SUH SDQGHPLF Emily Hesketh, Deloitte ESG audit


INTERNAL meetings could Source: GBTA survey November 2024 Base: 895 GBTA members


account for one in five business trips this year (Figure 71)


DQG DVVXUDQFH GLUHFWRU QRWHG “$ ORW of companies have seen travel as an area where there is opportunity to


16% 7%


11% The Deloitte view


Business travel saw a resurgence in 2024, with airlines and hotels reporting booking levels nearing those of 2019. Attending conferences and face-to-face meetings have become standard practice once again. However, there is more emphasis on the need for purposeful and strategic travel in corporate culture. ‘Smart travel’, characterised by cost


and emissions consciousness, has become the new imperative. This entails travelling with a clear purpose and consolidating multiple trips into longer ones to reduce costs, minimise environmental impact and maximise productivity. A single five-day trip to meet multiple clients proves more focused,


productive, cost-effective and environmentally friendly than two separate trips serving the same purpose. This approach is rapidly becoming the norm, replacing the outdated concept of the ‘road warrior’. Personalisation and more flexible


travel allow travellers to customise their journeys by bundling desired amenities such as extra baggage, priority boarding and Wi-Fi access into a single fare. Artificial intelligence has the potential to


revolutionise business travel, benefiting both traveller and travel manager. For travellers, AI can serve as a virtual travel assistant managing itineraries, providing real-time delay notifications and automating bookings


to align with changing schedules. Travel managers will leverage AI for back-office tasks such as compliance reporting. AI’s transformative potential is


undeniable and eagerly anticipated. Cloud-based technology using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) promises to provide a more consumer-grade user experience in the corporate environment. One example is enabling a corporate to book New Distribution Capability fares direct with airlines. Cloud-based technology will support cost and emissions reduction as


well as improve choice and user experience. Q Jon Bolger, head of Business Travel, and James Leggo, assistant director


50 Travel Weekly Insight Report 2025


Sales trips


Internal meetings


Industry events


Service trips


Training


Supplier meetings


Other


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