From July 22 to 24, travel professionals from across the globe headed to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, for three days of collaboration, innovation, and engagement at the 2024 Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Convention. The event brought together 5,400 attendees from over 50 countries, including over 1,100 travel buyers from more than 600 companies around the world.
“The atmosphere at this year’s convention was resilient, upbeat, and business-focused,” says GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang. “As the world’s largest gathering of the business travel industry, the energy and engagement were evident as we came together to focus on a shared goal of shaping the future for the sector and driving sustainable growth.”
This year’s convention featured more than 200 presenters, 86 peer-reviewed education sessions, and the unveiling of the latest global business travel forecast, from which Neufang shares a few key findings:
- Global business travel spending will reach $1.48 trillion by the end of the year, an increase on 2019 spending, which was a previous record at $1.43 trillion.
- By 2028, global business travel spending is projected to exceed $2 trillion, highlighting a robust path ahead for the business travel sector.
- Some 64% of business travelers surveyed reported a rise in spending over the previous year.
- Business travelers reported their average spending was $834 per person, per trip.
- About 58% of respondents noted an increased tendency to blend business with leisure travel.
Beyond noting these hopeful survey statistics, she says some of her biggest takeaways from the event were nuggets of wisdom the accomplished keynoters shared with attendees—the main stage speakers included Dan Ariely, behavioral economist and best-selling author; Carla Harris, acclaimed public speaker, author, and senior client advisor at Morgan Stanley; and Bertrand Piccard, explorer and clean technology pioneer. “[Themes] included how consumer choices and behaviors are intrinsically connected to corporate travel program success, that building each of our leadership profiles means bringing our authentic selves to every meeting, and that for our industry to evolve and thrive in a sustainable future, we need bold innovators who can see possibilities within ‘the impossible,’” says Neufang.
Additional learning came from the many education sessions held at the event—these included buyer-only roundtable discussions, a session on decarbonizing travel, and another on navigating global health risks, among dozens more.
With over a quarter of this year’s 5,400 attendees being first-timers, Neufang says creating a welcoming environment was crucial to the event’s success. “It’s a chance to meet new people, introduce them to our industry, and each other—and make sure they get the most out of the three days together,” she says. “Our annual convention is a testament to the power of community in driving the business travel industry forward.”
Next year’s GBTA Convention is slated for July 21-23, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.
