2025 Poised To Be a Record Year for Business Travel

The sound of rolling suitcases and boarding passes is back in the air. After years of uncertainty, business travel spending is rising sharply, signaling a robust recovery and renewed recognition of the irreplaceable value of face-to-face meetings. Companies now view team travel as a necessary investment that fuels growth and sharpens global competitiveness. This positive momentum is visible across regions, especially in EMEA and Asia-Pacific.

Nearly half (48%) of travel buyers expect more business trips in 2025, with over half (57%) projecting higher travel budgets this year.

A survey of more than 500 global business travelers reveals that 10% expect travel volumes to rise more than 20%, while 30% anticipate modest increases up to 20%. On the budget side, about 6% of companies plan to expand travel spending by over 20%, and roughly 36% foresee smaller increases up to 20%. In EMEA, optimism is particularly strong, with about 15.7% of firms expecting jumps of more than 20%, and 31.3% anticipating modest growth between 1% and 20%. Budgets in EMEA are also on the rise, with 42.5% of regional companies planning to increase travel spend by 1% to 20%—outpacing the global average of 35.9%.

Several forces are driving this rebound. Expansion into new markets tops the list (47%), followed by increased conference and event attendance (45%) and workforce growth (39%). The booming "bleisure" trend—mixing business with leisure—is also gaining traction, stretching stays and diversifying travel costs. The "bleisure" market is projected to balloon by around 500% over the next decade, reaching nearly $600 billion globally.

Yet challenges remain. Persistent delays, limited seat availability, economic fluctuations, and geopolitical tensions mean companies must plan strategically. Cost control remains critical, and firms are becoming more selective about travel choices.