Companies are reassessing their travel plans and exploring non-US markets. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/GBTA poll tracks growing unease and market pivots
Companies are reducing their spend on travel and cutting down on trips, in response to continuing uncertainty and change with regards to US government actions.
This is according to findings from a new poll by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), tracking the sentiment and impact of US government actions on business travel. These latest findings reveal some ongoing as well as new and notable shifts since GBTA’s initial April 2025 poll on the same topic.
Nearly half of global travel suppliers surveyed now anticipate revenue losses (up from 37% three months ago), while more organisations are cancelling or relocating meetings from the US and/or shifting to virtual formats. US policy developments, such as trade tariffs, entry restrictions and cross-border advisories, are driving companies to reassess travel plans, tighten budgets and explore markets outside the US.
One-third of buyers (34%, versus 29% in April) continue to expect the number of business trips taken at their company will decline in 2025, as a result of US government actions.
International business travel is more likely to be impacted than domestic travel. Close to half of respondents (49%) expect declines in their international business travel versus 23% for their domestic/intra-regional business travel. Concerns have also increased in the areas of safety and duty of care and border detentions.
Other findings show that Europe and APAC are the top regions for companies seeking new trade partners outside the US, by 70% and 53% of respondents respectively, while one in five travel buyers globally (18%) say employees have declined US-based business trips due to concerns related to US government actions.
Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA said: “This latest poll shows the business travel industry and corporate travel programs and professionals actively adapting to shifting geopolitics and evolving US policies. While overall demand currently remains resilient, the results underscore how economic uncertainty and US government actions continue to send ripple effects across the global travel landscape.”