ALEXANDRIA, VA — The global business travel community converged in Atlanta, Georgia last week for the GBTA Convention 2024.

Held July 22-24 at the Georgia World Congress Center, the event welcomed 5,400 registered attendees from 50 countries, including over 1,100 travel buyers from over 600 companies and 310 travel supplier exhibitors. 

Focus areas for the convention included the latest forecast for global business travel, what’s affecting the sector the most, understanding human behaviour and sustainability challenges. Mainstage keynote speakers, including behavioural economist Dan Ariely and Dr. Bertrand Piccard, who completed the first-ever global circumnavigation in a solar-powered electric airplane in 2016, challenged the audience to embrace forward-thinking approaches.

“The GBTA Convention offers a unique, annual opportunity for industry professionals to learn, network and experience the very best the global business travel community has to offer − and this year was no exception. This week was also a testament to the ongoing importance, in general, of managed travel programs and their support systems, as we felt the industry’s resilience for ourselves in navigating the global IT system disruption in order to come together in Atlanta,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA.

“At its core, business travel is about making human connections. By understanding what drives our behaviors and decision making, coupled with the increasing role technology plays in aiding us, we can better understand not only where the industry is going, but why it’s trending in that direction. We are very optimistic for what lies ahead for business travel – and for those who work in and with this industry,” she added.

RECORD SPENDING LEVELS

During Monday’s Main Stage session, GBTA launched the 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook – Annual Global Report and Forecast report, now in its 16th year and comprising data from 4,100 business travellers across five global regions. Results found that global spending for business travel is expected to reach a record US$1.48 trillion by the end of 2024, and will surpass $2 trillion by 2028. 

The report also found that 64% of business travellers surveyed increased spending compared to 2023, average spend was $834 per person based on their last business trip, and 58% are blending business and leisure travel more than ever before. To download the report’s Executive Summary click here. 

RECOGNIZING VOLUNTEERS

GBTA honoured a group of volunteers who helped further the mission of both the association and the industry as a whole. They are: 

• GBTA Direct Member of the Year Award: Leslie Andrews, GTP, GLP, Director of Global Travel Category, JLL
• GBTA Allied Member of the Year Award: Anja Turner–Schulz, Vice President, Global Marketing & Communications, BCD
• 2024 GBTA President’s Award: Mark Ziegler, CCTE, GLP, GTP, Senior Travel Manager, NetApp, Inc.

In addition, GBTA leadership and regional directors, along with association volunteers and GBTA Global Leadership Professional (GLP) program recipients around the globe were celebrated at the Global Leaders Reception on July 21 at the Georgia Aquarium. Kate King, Director of Global Travel Partnerships, International SOS, was honored with the GBTA Committee Member of the Year Award, and 20 other members from across North America, LATAM, EMEA and APAC received Business Travel Service Awards.

UPCOMING EVENTS

GBTA confirmed that Convention 2025 will be held in Denver, Colorado from July 21-23, 2025. GBTA also announced that Chicago is the destination for Convention 2026, scheduled for Aug. 3-5, 2026. 

Other upcoming GBTA regional events include the GBTA +VDR Conference 2024 in Partnership with the Nordic Business Travel Associations in Copenhagen November 4-6, 2024, GBTA Canada Conference April 28-30, 2025, in Toronto, GBTA APAC Conference May 27-28, 2025, in Singapore and the GBTA LATAM Conference September 24-25, 2025, in Mexico City.