For a time, corporate travel was placed firmly on pause. Virtual meetings replaced face-to-face interaction, and businesses proved they could continue operating remotely. But as markets stabilise and organisations refocus on growth, corporate travel is making a clear and confident return — and it is doing so with far greater intent.
Globally, corporate travel is rebounding at pace. According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), global corporate travel is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 10% through 2026, reaching approximately $1.7 trillion by 2025. This resurgence is not driven by habit or nostalgia, but by a renewed understanding of the value that in-person engagement brings to business performance.
Across industries, companies are travelling again because they recognise the importance of being in the room. In-person meetings build trust faster, enable clearer decision-making and strengthen relationships in ways digital platforms simply cannot replicate. Research supports this shift: 75 per cent of senior executives believe face-to-face meetings accelerate trust and improve decision-making, while negotiations conducted in person show 34 per cent higher success rates than those held virtually (Harvard Business Review, 2025).
What has changed is not whether organisations travel, but how they approach it. Corporate travel today is far more strategic and outcomes-driven. Every trip is expected to deliver tangible value, and businesses are increasingly focused on how time is used once teams arrive in-market.
This has driven growing demand for a more holistic, end-to-end approach to travel. Organisations are no longer satisfied with simply booking flights and hotels. They want meetings pre-scheduled, venues secured, technology in place and, in many cases, small-scale events or offsites professionally managed. The objective is clear: maximise productivity, minimise friction and allow travelling teams to focus entirely on building relationships and advancing commercial goals.
As a result, corporate travel is now viewed less as a standalone cost and more as a strategic investment. When senior leaders or specialist teams travel internationally, every hour counts. Well-planned itineraries, seamless logistics and structured meeting schedules enable organisations to extract maximum value from their time on the ground.
From a travel management perspective, this has required a more integrated model. Increasingly, travel programmes are being aligned with meetings and events services, allowing organisations to plan journeys and in-market activity in a coordinated and efficient way. Providers such as FCM are seeing this convergence first-hand, as clients seek support that connects travel logistics with execution at destination.
Sustainability is also playing a central role in this new era of corporate travel. Businesses are travelling more thoughtfully, reducing unnecessary trips while ensuring essential travel is efficient and purposeful. Smart routing, consolidated schedules and professionally managed engagements help reduce traveller fatigue and improve overall outcomes.
Perhaps most importantly, corporate travel has reclaimed its role as a catalyst for connection. Face-to-face engagement builds momentum, deepens trust and often unlocks opportunities that simply do not emerge in virtual environments. In an increasingly competitive global landscape, those human connections matter more than ever.
Corporate travel is back - not as it once was, but more intentional, more measured and more closely aligned to business objectives. When done well, it is no longer just about getting from A to B. It is about making every moment count.