UK Business Travel Market Overview
Economic and environmental pressures continue to challenge the business travel market, with a weaker economic outlook and rising costs likely leading to tighter corporate travel budgets. Travellers will reassess the necessity of each trip, with low-cost transport and affordable event destinations becoming more attractive.
UK Business Travel Consumer Trends
Over three-quarters of business travellers are calling for more facilities to help improve their wellbeing when on a business trip. The leading health issues experienced as a result of work are stress and trouble sleeping. Business travel can exacerbate these challenges, due to disrupted routines, unfamiliar and busy environments, jet lag and performance pressures. Innovations that support relaxation and enhance sleep quality will resonate.
However, while business confidence has declined, consumers are relatively positive about their personal finances, indicating ongoing opportunities to encourage travellers to enrich business trips with leisure activities.
Key Topics Analysed in the Report:
- How the domestic and overseas business travel markets are expected to perform over the next five years
- Business travel participation in the UK, Europe and beyond
- Duration and type of most recent business trip in the UK and abroad, including ways to encourage longer stays
- Business travel opportunities, including strong demand for wellbeing-focussed enhancements and leisure experiences
| Report Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Published Date | August 2025 |
| Market Data Range | 2019-2030 |
| Consumer Data | 1,456 internet users aged 16+ who are working, June 2025 |
| Number of Pages | 77 |
| Report Scope | Business travel market dynamics, Participation in business travel, Frequency of travelling for business, Duration and type of most recent business trip, Future intentions to travel for business, Behaviours and attitudes towards business travel |
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Marloes De Vries. Marloes is a research analyst at Mintel, focusing on the travel sector. She previously worked as a researcher for the British and Dutch tourist boards, after having been a project leader in the field of tourism and leisure at a leading market research agency in Amsterdam. Marloes holds a degree in Tourism Management.
Features that enhance guest wellbeing, such as sleep enhancing or fitness amenities, and experiential business facilities are key to the future of business travel.
Marloes De Vries
Travel Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the business travel market
- Encourage travellers to blend business with leisure
- In-person gatherings should stand out more against online alternatives
- Help business travellers improve their wellbeing
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast for domestic business travel
- Market size & forecast for overseas business travel
- Market predictions
- Economic conditions will slow spend on domestic business travel
- Graph 1: forecast value of domestic overnight business trips taken by British residents, 2019-30
- Economic challenges also cause setbacks for spend on overseas business travel
- Graph 2: forecast value of overseas business trips taken by UK residents, 2019-30
- What consumers want and why
- Over half of the UK workforce travels for business
- Graph 3: participation in business travel in the last 12 months, by destination, 2025
- Most business travellers take one to four business trips per year
- Graph 4: frequency of day and overnight business trips taken in the last 12 months, by destination, 2025
- The majority of business trips last up to two nights
- Graph 5: duration of most recent business trip, by destination, 2025
- Training and small group meetings are the most common forms of domestic business travel
- Graph 6: type of most recent business trip, by destination, 2025
- Greater uncertainty for overseas business trips, but some long-haul destinations may excel
- Graph 7: expected changes in business travel frequency*, by destination, 2025
- Hybrid approach: professionals want the freedom to choose meeting format
- Graph 8: attitudes towards business travel, 2025
- Innovation and marketing
- Amex GBT launches its first brand campaign to promote value of in-person meetings
- Opportunity to promote premium seats with more workspace
- AI innovations to improve the customer experience
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size
- Business travellers show rising intent, but economic pressures pose a threat
- Graph 9: volume of domestic overnight business trips taken by British residents, 2019-25
- Rising costs boost value of domestic business travel market
- Graph 10: value of domestic overnight business trips taken by British residents, 2019-25
- Economic uncertainty halts recovery of overseas business travel volume
- Graph 11: volume of overseas business trips taken by UK residents, 2019-25
- Value remains above pre-pandemic levels
- Graph 12: value of overseas business trips taken by UK residents, 2019-25
- Market forecast
- Economic conditions will halt volume recovery of domestic business travel in 2026
- Graph 13: forecast volume of domestic overnight business trips taken by British residents, 2019-30
- Overall spending on domestic business travel is expected to be more robust
- Graph 14: forecast value of domestic overnight business trips taken by British residents, 2019-30
- Economic challenges cause setbacks for both volume…
- Graph 15: forecast volume of overseas business trips taken by UK residents, 2019-30
- …and value of overseas business travel
- Graph 16: forecast value of overseas business trips taken by UK residents, 2019-30
- Cautious business travel outlook for 2026
- The US has become a less-appealing destination
- Forecast – a note on US trade disruption
- Market segmentation
- Domestic overnight business trips are low in volume but strong in value
- Trends in domestic business travel
- Nearly one in 10 trips abroad is for business reasons
- Market drivers
- Sluggish GDP growth expected for UK economy
- Graph 17: year-on-year GDP growth in the UK, 2016-26
- Businesses are facing higher operational costs
- Graph 18: CPI rises, 2021-25
- Business travel costs are likely to continue to rise, but AI creates opportunities
- Uncertainty is impacting business confidence
- Graph 19: economic concerns among business travellers for the next six months, 2025
- Unemployment is on the rise
- Graph 20: unemployment rate among those aged 16 years and over, seasonally adjusted, 2020-25
- Government aims to unlock airport capacity to support economic growth
- Sustainability pressures impact business travel policies
- International rail networks to broaden, though significant expansion will take time
- Regulatory & legislative changes
- Ensuring safe business travel amid rising climate and political threats
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Participation in business travel
- Over half of the UK workforce travel for business
- Business travellers are typically young and affluent, with men over-represented
- Domestic business travel remains the largest segment
- Overseas business travel is more dependent on larger corporations
- Graph 21: company size breakdown by business travel destination, 2025
- Long-haul business travellers are more affluent
- Frequency of travelling for business
- Most business travellers take one to four business trips per year
- Graph 22: frequency of day and overnight business trips taken in the last 12 months, by destination, 2025
- Most business travellers participate in loyalty schemes
- Ethical rewards will appeal to business travellers
- Graph 23: feelings of guilt about the environmental impact of travel, by frequency and type of trips taken in the last 12 months, 2024
- Duration and type of most recent business trip
- The majority of business trips last up to two nights
- Graph 24: duration of most recent business trip, by destination, 2025
- Facilitating longer stays
- Training and small group meetings are the most common forms of domestic business travel
- Graph 25: type of most recent business trip, by destination, 2025
- Hybrid approach: professionals want the freedom to choose meeting format
- Highlighting the value of in-person meetings and events while embracing hybrid solutions
- Amex GBT launches its first brand campaign to promote value of in-person meetings
- Physical small group meetings are most vulnerable to online technology
- Future intentions to travel for business
- In-person meetings are still valued
- Greener and more-affordable choices will be in demand
- Companies of all sizes want to increase their business travel
- Higher-income employees anticipate more business travel
- Graph 26: expected changes in business travel frequency*, by annual household income, 2025
- More uncertainty around overseas business trips
- Graph 27: expected changes in business travel frequency over the next 12 months compared to the previous 12 months, by destination, 2025
- Long-haul business travellers are slightly more optimistic
- Behaviours and attitudes towards business travel
- Business travellers call for better wellbeing facilities
- Relaxation and sleep quality are important points of attention
- Brand innovations elevating travellers’ wellbeing
- ‘Bleisure’ demand is strong
- Providing environments that support both productivity and relaxation will appeal
- Cost and environmental pressures have a similarly significant impact on business travel policies
- Travel Management Companies handle most corporate bookings
- Most businesses are open to contributing to sustainable aviation fuel
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Launch activity and innovation
- AI innovation to improve the customer experience
- Hotels continue to innovate, but face increased competition
- The growing cruise industry may focus more on business travellers
- Transcend Cruises will launch two new luxury river cruise ships specifically designed for the MICE market
- Royal Caribbean promotes Utopia of the Seas as a bigger and bolder event destination
- Efforts to enhance the flying experience
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APPENDIX
- Supplementary data
- Participation and interest in travel loyalty schemes
- Graph 28: participation and interest in travel loyalty schemes, by frequency of trips taken in the last 12 months, 2024
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market size domestic business travel
- Market size overseas business travel
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – volume of domestic business travel
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value of domestic business travel
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – volume of overseas business travel
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value of overseas business travel
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value of domestic business travel at current prices
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value of overseas business travel at current prices
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
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