Business travel is on the rise in 2025

Business travel is on the rise, with 39% of UK business travellers expecting to travel more in 2025 compared to last year, according to a new survey by Opinium of 500 UK business travellers, on behalf of global travel risk management organisation World Travel Protection.

Meanwhile, 44% anticipate no change in their travel schedules, while 13% expect a decrease.

Corporate travel budgets are also set to increase, with 44% of business travellers predicting higher spending in 2025. Another 44% foresee no change, while only 10% expect a decrease.

Senior business travellers (board level) are significantly more likely to anticipate increased travel opportunities (51%) and higher spending this year (53%).

Business travellers are expecting to see the increased budget spent on quality of accommodation (39%) and the amount of business class flights (33%).

However, cost-cutting is still a priority, with a third (35%) scheduling more meetings to justify their business travel and increasing their one-day trips (33%). More than a third (35%) also say they will use public transport more frequently.

Sustainability is also a growing focus, with 37% of business travellers feeling increased pressure to use the most sustainable form of transport.

Kate Fitzpatrick, Regional Security Director EMEA, World Travel Protection said, “It’s encouraging to see business travel growing. Face-to-face meetings remain essential for building strong relationships, closing deals and seeing what’s really happening on the ground.

“However, it’s important to remember that travel is not without risk and regularly reviewing and updating your organisation’s travel risk management policies is crucial to ensure they remain effective and responsive to changing global challenges.

“At World Travel Protection, our priority is ensuring business travellers remain safe and informed throughout their journeys. We know that each trip carries unique risks, even for seasoned travellers revisiting familiar destinations. A comprehensive travel risk assessment framework helps identify potential hazards associated with each journey. We provide comprehensive pre-travel briefings, real-time security and health alerts via our Travel Assist app, and round-the-clock support to help mitigate risks and keep travellers moving with confidence.”