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In Brief: Dr. Fried & Partner and ITB Berlin’s latest Global Travel Buyer Index shows that the market situation is improving, while expectations among international travel buyers are also rising.
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Travel Procurement Shows Slight Increase: Global Travel Buyer Index Signals Cautious Optimism – Image Credit Unsplash
Dr. Fried & Partner and ITB Berlin publish the latest results of the Global Travel Buyer Index (GTBI) for the third quarter of 2026. The GTBI is an industry indicator for tourism purchasing and is based on a quarterly survey of international buyers from the ITB Buyers Circle. The index provides valuable insights into the current market situation and the expectations of tourism buyers and serves as an early indicator for the development of the travel market. Dr. Fried & Partner and ITB Berlin show with the latest Global Travel Buyer Index: The market situation is improving, while expectations among international tourism buyers are also rising.
Global Travel Buyer Index – September 2026 (provided and (c) by Dr. Fried & Partner and ITB Berlin)
Current market situation: Assessment of purchasing activities improved
41% of respondents report an increase in purchasing volume over the past six months compared to the previous year, 27% see no change, while 32% report a decline. Regarding the proportion of fixed purchases, 38% of participants report an increase, 38% report a consistent proportion of fixed purchases, and 25% report a decrease. According to 65% of respondents, contractual expenditure in purchasing has increased, while 25% report no change and 10% report a decline.
The Current Situation Index rises to 84 points (May 2026: 71 points), reflecting a substantially improved assessment of the current market situation compared to the previous quarter.
Future expectations: Expectations for the next six months considerably more confident
Expectations for the coming six months are more optimistic compared to the last survey. 51% of respondents anticipate an increase in their purchasing volume, 38% expect no change and 11% anticipate a decline. According to 44% of respondents, the proportion of fixed purchases is likely to increase, while 44% expect it to remain unchanged. In terms of contractual expenditure, 61% expect an increase, 33% expect stable conditions and 6% expect a decrease.
The Future Expectation Index rises to 84 points, signalling a considerably more brighteneed outlook for the next six months (May 2026: 72 points).
Global Travel Buyer Index
The Global Travel Buyer Index (GTBI) rises to 74 points in September 2026 (May 2026: 71 points). The results indicate an overall improved situation in tourism purchasing, accompanied by noticeably more optimistic expectations for the coming months.
The GTBI is updated quarterly and provides continuous market monitoring for tour operators, destinations and service providers.
About the sample
In September 2026, a total of 117 tourism buyers took part in the survey. The majority make purchases for the source markets Germany (21%), Europe (56%) and Asia (8%), while the remaining respondents make purchases for North America, South America, Africa, Oceania or for all source markets equally. The focus of procurement is particularly on hotels (84%), DMC services (58%), activities & events (47%) and transfers (50%).
