Internova Travel Group Survey Shows Business Travel Remains Flat Over Past Year

Internova Index reveals trends, insights gained from millions of North American travel bookings, survey of U.S. travelers

NEW YORK, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With uncertainty clouding the global macroeconomic forecast business travel has remained flat over the past year, although there is a bright spot on the horizon, according to the 2025 Internova Index: North American Business Traveler Insights, a new survey of travel trends conducted by Internova Travel Group.

Domestic and international business travel have broadly performed similarly from the first quarter of 2024 to the same period in 2025. Demand for economy air has increased compared with premium classes, suggesting that businesses are keen to travel but are being more cost-conscious. And hotel spending has decreased, even as advance daily rates (ADRs) have remained flat or increased slightly. The decrease in hotel spending is driven by shorter business trips as companies try to make travel more efficient.

While forward bookings are lower than in 2024, they have recovered strongly from their lowest point, an indication that business traveler confidence is rebounding.

Travel agencies continue to play a crucial role in business travel, particularly among C-suite executives. In the overall sample, 49 percent of business travelers report using a human travel advisor as their primary booking channel over an online booking tool. However, 70 percent of C-suite executives use a human travel advisor to book their travel. This group tends to have particularly complex trips, spends more and expects a higher level of service that online tools often can't provide.

"Our newest Internova Index shows that companies are being more careful in the number and duration of business trips they take and how they spend their travel dollars," said Henry Gilroy, Executive Vice President, Strategic Development for Internova Travel Group, one of the world's largest travel services companies. "With nearly half of business travelers (and a much higher percentage of C-suite executives) using a travel advisor, it's clear that our corporate clients understand the vital assistance we provide in getting them the best value for their money."

North American Business Traveler Insights is a corporate travel-focused version of The Internova Index: North American Traveler Insights series, which is published annually. The report is based on an analysis of millions of travel bookings made by North American residents, as well as a consumer survey of approximately 3,000 U.S. travelers.

The study separates business travelers into three segments: Executives and employees in senior management positions; Road Warriors and high-frequency travelers in areas such as sales, account management, training or other interaction-focused roles; and Occasional Travelers, where travel is not a core part of their role.

The 2025 Internova Index: North American Business Traveler Insights was compiled by Internova Analytics and Consulting, a group within Internova Travel Group that combines unique data sources, knowledgeable internal expertise and an experienced project delivery team. The report is designed to highlight key industry trends for our supplier partners, members, advisors and colleagues with a focus on corporate travel. Through bespoke engagements, Internova Analytics and Consulting helps participants in the travel industry adapt to new trends and address their most pressing challenges.

"We have a team of highly skilled analysts, consultants and travel experts who use our proprietary data to produce both our annual outlook for business travel and our survey of general travel trends," continued Gilroy. "Now that we're into our second year, we're proving to our partners that we can fulfill their analytical needs across all segments of the travel market."

For the full report or for more information on Internova Analytics and Consulting, please visit www.internova.com/research.

About Internova Travel Group
Internova Travel Group is one of the largest travel services companies in the world with a collection of leading brands delivering high-touch, personal travel expertise to leisure and corporate clients. Internova manages leisure, business and franchise firms through a portfolio of distinctive divisions. Internova represents more than 100,000 travel advisors in over 6,000 company-owned and affiliated locations predominantly in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with a presence in more than 80 countries.

CONTACT:
Elizabeth Gaerlan
[email protected]
1-212-944-1125

SOURCE Internova Travel Group