Dhaka, July 24 -- Global spending on business travel is expected to reach a record USD 1.57 trillion in 2025 and USD 1.69 trillion in 2026, according to the Global Business Travel Association's newly published Business Travel Index Outlook.

However, the organization has downgraded its growth expectations amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

In the latest edition of its annual report, GBTA projects "moderate" year-on-year growth in business travel spend of 6.6 percent in 2025 "due to trade tensions, policy uncertainty, and economic pressures", rising to anticipated growth of 8.1 percent in 2026. A year ago, the organization had predicted 10.4 percent growth this year and 9.2 percent in 2026.

Global business travel spend in 2024 was al...