The latest GBTA poll on business travel was conducted last month, in January 2023. The poll included travel professionals worldwide and broadly concluded that business travel recovery continues to be on the upswing. Here are some of the highlights of the poll:

On average, travel managers estimate that their company’s domestic bookings are at 67% of pre-pandemic levels, while their company’s international bookings are at 54% of pre-pandemic levels. When it comes to willingness to travel, a whopping 91% say their company’s employees are willing to travel, on a scale from “somewhat” to “very willing to travel”.

Looking forward, travel managers expect an increase in business travel this year. While 77% expect their company employees to take more trips, only 7% feel this number will decline. This sentiment is shared by TMCs and travel suppliers with 86% expecting corporate clients to spend more on business travel this year. This may present a challenge in terms of service and account management as 46% of TMCs and travel suppliers say they have had to reduce staff due to the pandemic. On the positive side, 65% state they plan on ramping up this year.

As was predicted last year, sales trips with prospective or current clients are estimated to be the number one reason for business travel this year, with travel managers estimating their company will spend about 28% on sales and account management trips. Coming in next are internal company meetings at 19%, and conferences and trade shows at 18%.

Interestingly, and as we reference in our book, many companies have revised business policy, or are continuing to keep in effect policies created during the pandemic,  that require stricter pre-trip approvals – such as approvals from risk management, HR, legal or senior leadership – or someone outside the employee’s immediate chain of command. This is true, to some degree (on a scale of “some of the time” to “all the time”) for about 47% of companies for non-executive domestic trips, and 71% of companies for non-executive international business trips.

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