By Jyothi Varma, Country Manager, India, GBTA
India’s business travel sector is entering a defining period of growth and influence.
According to the GBTA’s recently published 2026 Business Travel Index (BTI) report, India is projected to reach $46.9 billion in total business travel spending in 2026, an 8.7% increase on last year. India is the world’s eighth-largest business travel market and the third largest in Asia Pacific (APAC), behind China and South Korea.
Yet the economic significance of business travel extends well beyond spending figures. Business travel is a vital engine of national and regional economic growth, directly supporting demand for sectors like hospitality, aviation, accommodation, meetings and events, and ground transportation. Every business trip generates demand across a broad ecosystem of suppliers and service providers, creating jobs and thereby supporting regions, cities and towns across India.
Business travel enables face-to-face connections that continue to underpin commercial success. Whether it is building client relationships, negotiating or closing business deals, delivering training programmes or reinforcing client relationships, in-person engagement remains a pivotal catalyst for business growth. In an increasingly digital world, the value of human connection has not diminished. If anything, it has become even more important.
The strong performance of India’s business travel sector reflects broader economic trends that continue to support growth across the region. While GBTA’s 2026 BTI Report shows that India’s economic expansion is moderating from exceptionally strong levels seen in 2025, it continues to outperform many major economies globally. Alongside several Southeast Asian markets, India is benefiting from expanding manufacturing investment, supply chain diversification and increasing levels of foreign direct investment. These trends are creating new opportunities for business travel as companies seek to build relationships, explore new markets and support increasingly complex regional operations.
The wider APAC region continues to demonstrate remarkable strength. Today, APAC is the world’s largest business travel market, accounting for more than 40% of global business travel spending in 2025, equivalent to approximately $643.8 billion. Traveller confidence also remains robust, with more than 80% of APAC business travellers reporting that they travelled as much as, or more than, they did in 2024.
However, alongside these opportunities come significant challenges. Organisations across the region are navigating persistent cost pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, evolving traveller expectations, sustainability commitments, duty of care responsibilities and the rapid advancement of transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence.
These forces are reshaping how travel programmes are designed, managed and measured. Travel managers are increasingly being asked to do more with less, while balancing business objectives with employee wellbeing and environmental goals. Suppliers are adapting to changing customer expectations, while travel managers are looking for greater visibility, efficiency and value across their travel ecosystems.
In this environment, collaboration has never been more important. No single organisation, supplier or travel manager can address these challenges alone. The future success of business travel will depend on the industry’s ability to come together, share knowledge, exchange best practices and collectively identify solutions to the opportunities and risks ahead. This is where the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) plays a critical role.
As the premier voice of the global business travel industry, GBTA is supporting the continued growth and success of business travel here in India and across the wider APAC region. By bringing together travel managers, suppliers and industry stakeholders, GBTA provides a platform for education, advocacy, networking and professional development.
Building on the momentum of our highly successful APAC Conference earlier this year, which welcomed more than 1,100 delegates from across the region, GBTA is expanding its support for business travel professionals throughout APAC. A key focus is our growing education programme, designed to help industry professionals build expertise across critical topics including traveller experience, risk management, duty of care, sustainability, procurement strategy and emerging technologies.
Additionally, early next year GBTA will host its largest-ever conference in India, taking place in Mumbai. The event will provide an important forum for industry leaders to explore some of the most pressing issues facing the sector today, from geopolitical developments and rising travel costs to sustainability challenges and the transformative impact of AI.
The success of GBTA’s face-to-face events to date across India highlights the continued value that business travel professionals place on in-person learning and networking opportunities. Over the past year, we have expanded our programme of regional events, hosting gatherings in cities across India, including, most recently, our hugely successful Business Travel Forum in Pune. These events enable local travel managers, suppliers and wider industry stakeholders to participate and engage with the growing GBTA community. By bringing events closer to where professionals live and work, we are not only strengthening local connections but also increasing awareness of the broader range of education, research, advocacy and professional development resources that GBTA offers. This approach is helping us grow a more connected, informed and engaged business travel community across India.
India’s growing momentum as a global business travel powerhouse presents tremendous opportunities for businesses, travellers and the wider economy. To fully realise that potential, our industry must continue working together to address shared challenges, embrace innovation and build a more resilient and sustainable future.