Business travel in Europe forecast to surge ahead despite economic and geo-political headwinds, signalling robust growth and shifting traveller priorities.

Despite ongoing global economic challenges and political uncertainty, business travel in Europe continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience and growth.

According to regional findings released from the latest GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook, business travel spending is projected to reach 389.9 billion euros* ($448.2 billion USD) in 2026, marking a significant 8.2% increase from 2025. This positions Europe as a key driver of global business travel recovery, accounting for a substantial share of total global spending.

Looking ahead, the forecast for Europe remains broadly optimistic. In 2027, European business travel spending is expected to climb to 414.5 billion euros ($476.5 billion), underscoring the region’s steady momentum. In 2028, European business travel spending is expected to reach 441.6 billion euros ($507.6 billion).

“The data confirms for Europe what many in the industry are experiencing firsthand ─ organizations are continuing to invest in business travel as a catalyst for growth, innovation and connection, even in the face of economic and geopolitical uncertainty,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA. “At the same time, sustainability and traveller experience are no longer optional—they’re essential. European companies and business travellers are leading the way in demanding responsible, productive and impactful journeys.”

This latest GBTA BTI forecast data for Europe was unveiled at the GBTA + VDR Europe Conference ─ the premier European event for the business travel industry ─ taking place in Hamburg from 10-12 November.

Europe’s Powerhouse Markets: Who’s Leading the Charge?

In 2025, Western Europe** is estimated to account for 88% of total European business travel spend, while Emerging Europe** represents 12%.

The top six Europe business travel markets in 2025ranked by annual origination spending ─ Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands ─ collectively represent just over 241.5 billion euros ($277.6 billion). This represents 17.7% of the total global spending of 1,36 trillion euros ($1.57 trillion) estimated for 2025.​

Why Europeans Travel for Work: Training, Collaboration and Connection

The GBTA BTI survey of business travellers finds their top reasons for business travel in Europe are seminars/training, conventions/ conferences, and internal company meetings.

As self-reported by European business travellers, the average cost of a business trip in Europe is 850.7 euros ($977.82 USD), with lodging cited as the largest expense, followed by food and beverage, and air travel. Notably, business travellers in the UK spend the most per trip at almost 1,305 euros ($1,500 USD), while Poland and Sweden have the lowest average spend of about 639 to 646 euros ($735–$743 USD) per trip.

European Traveller Expectations Are Evolving

European business travellers continue to see value in their travels, with 83% agreeing that business travel is worthwhile for achieving business objectives. Three in four (77%) report travelling the same or more in 2025 than in 2019, and the average length of an overnight business trip is 3.1 nights.

When it comes to technology use, 40% of European business travellers say they are comfortable with using AI to book their trips—the lowest of any region globally.

Loyalty programs are important to European travellers (81%) when selecting transportation and lodging.

They are also less likely (57%) than travellers from other regions (North America 68%, Asia Pacific 70%, for example) to combine business and personal travel now versus years prior.

European travellers are more likely to use rail on business trips than those in other regions—38% report using rail on their last trip, compared to just 8% in North America and 4% in Latin America.

A third (32%) of European travellers surveyed said they work at companies with a dedicated corporate travel manager or team.

For information about GBTA Research, visit the GBTA webpage and/or reach out to research@gbta.org

*Conversion based on exchange rate on 5 November 2025 of 0.87 euros to 1 US dollar ─ subject to change based on conversion fluctuations.

**GBTA BTI scope of analysis: Western Europe – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.  Emerging Europe – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Türkiye and Ukraine.