A Forty Seven Ten reference
Business Travel and Meetings Statistics
A current, source-linked view of the business travel and meetings economy, for organizations shaping gatherings with purpose.
Last reviewed September 18, 2026
The wider context
Gathering remains a serious investment.
Meetings, incentive travel, retreats, and conferences sit within a global business travel economy measured in trillions of dollars. The figures below offer a concise reference for planners, writers, and organizations considering how people come together.
Each figure links directly to its published source. Dates matter here: business travel reporting often describes a forecast, a completed year, or a survey of industry professionals, not the same kind of measure.
At a glance
Six figures worth keeping close.
$1.71T
Projected global business travel spending in 2026
The Global Business Travel Association expects worldwide spending to reach $1.71 trillion in 2026.
Source: GBTA Business Travel Index, 2026 forecast1.84B
Projected business trips in 2026
GBTA projects 1.84 billion business trips worldwide in 2026, reflecting the scale behind meetings, incentives, events, and business travel.
Source: GBTA Business Travel Index, 2026 forecast8.4%
Global spending growth recorded in 2025
Worldwide business travel spending grew 8.4% in 2025, according to GBTA's 2026 forecast release.
Source: GBTA Business Travel Index, published 202684%
Expect spending to hold steady or increase in 2026
In GBTA's January 2026 poll, 84% of business travel professionals expected their organization’s business travel spending to remain similar or increase.
Source: GBTA business travel poll, January 202659%
Of professionals polled are optimistic about 2026
Six in ten business travel professionals polled by GBTA said they were optimistic about the industry in 2026.
Source: GBTA business travel poll, January 202670%
Of travel buyers cite affordability as a concern
GBTA found that affordability was the leading concern for travel buyers looking ahead to 2026.
Source: GBTA business travel poll, January 2026Reading the figures
The value is not in movement alone.
Scale does not make every gathering worthwhile. It makes the planning choices more consequential. When people travel to be together, the setting, access, time away from routine, and care around each transition all influence whether the investment creates a real return for the organization and its guests.
For groups planning a retreat, the useful question is not simply whether travel is growing. It is what the time together needs to accomplish, then which destination and rhythm can best support it. Explore Forty Seven Ten's approach to corporate retreat planning or our guide to planning a corporate retreat.
Methodology and sources
Built for clear attribution.
This page compiles publicly released findings from the Global Business Travel Association. Figures labeled as projections are forecasts. Survey figures reflect the respondents and timing described by GBTA, rather than all businesses or all travelers.
- Global Business Travel Association, “Global Business Travel Spending to Hit Record $1.71 Trillion in 2026, While Trips Reach 1.84 Billion, Says GBTA Forecast,” published August 2026.
- Global Business Travel Association, “Global Business Travel Professionals Signal Stronger Confidence But Also Constraint Heading Into 2026, According to Latest GBTA Poll,” January 2026.
Cite this page
Forty Seven Ten. “Business Travel and Meetings Statistics.” Updated September 18, 2026. fortyseventen.com/meetings-events-statistics
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