Corporate travel poll finds growing fears of downturn due to Trump policies

A Guild of Business Travel Association (GBTA) poll suggests a sea change in corporate travel sentiment owing to the policies of the Trump administration in the US.

Almost one third of travel managers anticipate the volume of business travel will fall significantly this year and two out of five (37%) of travel suppliers and intermediaries expect their business travel revenue to decline.

GBTA said it polled members to gauge the response to the US government imposition of tariffs on trade and toughening border policies and entry restrictions, noting these had led to risks of travellers being detained at the border, advisories against travel to the US by some governments, and reduced business travel by federal employees.

The association found “a significant portion” of more than 900 industry respondents anticipate declines in corporate travel this year as a result and reported: “Optimism has taken a hit, reflecting the uncertainty gripping the sector.”

A GBTA poll last November found two-thirds of corporate travel professionals (67%) optimistic about the outlook for the industry in 2025. The latest poll found the proportion optimistic had more than halved to 31%.

Less than half of global buyers (44%) forecast their organisation’s business travel spending would be unaffected by President Trump’s policies, and just one in four suppliers (25%) expected no impact on their revenue.

Up to 20% of respondents said they have cancelled or are considering cancelling, moving or pulling attendance at meetings and events in the US, and 10% said they plan to cancel or are considering cancelling employee attendance at US events.

Almost one third of travel buyers (29%) forecast a decline in the volume of business travel volume at their companies, with the average decline in volume and spending forecast at about one fifth.

Another one in five travel buyers (19%) said they were uncertain about the impact of US government policies on the sector.

Travel suppliers and travel management companies expecting a fall in corporate travel also estimated the likely decline in revenue at about one fifth.

GBTA chief executive Suzanne Neufang said: “Our research now shows increasing concerns and uncertainty within our industry, considering recent actions by the US government.”

She warned that sustained economic pressure or uncertainty would weigh on company budgets and risk a longer-term impact on business travel.

The poll also found a small number of businesses (7%) have already revised their corporate travel policies for travel to or from the US since January, but another 25% say they plan to or are considering doing so.

More than half the respondents (54%) identified the long-term impact of US government actions on business travel costs as a major concern (54%), and two in five (40%) identified budget cuts. Almost as many (37%) cited employee unwillingness to travel to the US, with 46% identifying additional processing of visas and documentation as a concern.

The poll was conducted among 905 GBTA members between March 31 and April 8.