The FCM Corporate Travel Summit, powered by GBTA, predicts that India’s business travel spending will recover to pre-2019 levels by 2025, aided by robust economic growth, increased demand for face-to-face meetings, and technological advancements.
The FCM Corporate Travel Summit, in collaboration with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), projects a return to pre-2019 business travel expenditure levels for India by 2025. The summit, themed “Customer Experience Redefined: Tech Driven, People Focused,” offered attendees a comprehensive view of business travel spending trends in India and the role of technology in reshaping the industry.
According to the GBTA’s Business Travel Index (BTI) report, India’s business travel spending was estimated at US$38.3 billion in 2024, placing the country as the eighth-largest global market for travel spending. “India is witnessing a phase of robust economic growth, strong corporate earnings, and a rising demand for in-person meetings,” stated Sunny Sodhi, Managing Director of FCM Travel India.
The GBTA report further revealed that India is the fourth largest market in the APAC region, accounting for 6.2% of business travel spending. According to Bertrand Saillet, Managing Director of FCM Travel Asia, this growth is majorly driven by national markets and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) segment, as well as a thriving meetings and events sector.
Technology is playing an increasingly significant role in reshaping the business travel landscape. A GBTA survey discovered that 63% of APAC buyers highlighted Artificial Intelligence (AI) as their top priority for 2025. Reflecting this trend, Flight Centre Travel Group has established an AI Centre of Excellence to enhance AI capabilities, primarily focusing on improving service delivery and the traveler experience.
The FCM Meetings & Events team also underscored the importance of utilizing technology and tools to drive engagement with content, deliver personalized experiences, and help attendees stay aligned with the event’s objectives. “Technological advancements, particularly in AI, along with the ongoing evolution of sustainability, will continue to shape our industry,” said Elle Ng-Darmawan, GBTA’s Regional Director for APAC.
While 2025 is expected to mark a significant turning point for business travel as it ushers in a new era, industry players must also consider economic developments, as travel costs and budgets will play an essential role in shaping the future of the industry. The summit, which saw the participation of over 150 professionals from the travel industry, served as a platform to share these insights and anticipate future trends in business travel.
