A Morgan Stanley survey of 160 global corporate travel managers found that corporate travel budgets are projected to rise about 5 % in 2026, with hotel bookings expected to increase by 6.3 % year-on-year. Around 61 % of respondents described themselves as “very optimistic” or “somewhat optimistic” about the outlook for business travel next year, a notable improvement on earlier sentiment.
This trend is mirrored in corporate travel intent: independent research from Flight Centre Travel Group’s global State of the Market survey indicated that 45 % of corporate customers plan to increase travel spend this year, compared with last year, underscoring the strength of corporate demand.
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) show that global business travel spend is projected to rise to between USD 1.6 trillion and USD 1.8 trillion by 2026, reflecting growth beyond the post-pandemic rebound and reinforcing travel’s restored role in business
Confidence however, is not uniform across all companies. Global corporate travel outlook reports, which includes analysis by Deloitte, find that cost pressures remain a significant constraint. Deloitte’s Corporate Travel Survey showed 54 % of travel managers identify rising travel costs as one of the top factors restricting travel activity.
Taken together, these findings suggest a positive corporate travel landscape. Organisations are preparing to invest more in travel, whilst they evolve their travel policies and balance costs. The net effect is rising confidence amid cautious engagement, and a higher value put on business travel.