GBTA Convention 2026: What You Need to Know
By the Numbers
- 5,500+ attendees from 47 countries, including nearly 1,200 buyers from 681 companies representing more than $46 billion in self-reported annual travel spend
- Nearly 400 exhibitors and over 1,300 first-time attendees
- Almost 90 education sessions across 17 tracks, with more than 250 peer-reviewed speakers and presenters
- $18.5 million in estimated economic impact for the Chicago area
The Big Forecast
The Big Forecast: Record Spending Ahead
GBTA unveiled its 2026 Business Travel Index (produced with Visa) during the convention. The 18th edition of the report projects global business travel spending will hit a record $1.71 trillion in 2026, with worldwide business trips expected to top $1.84 billion. Demand remains resilient, but GBTA cautioned that the outlook is complicated by geopolitical uncertainty, energy-related cost pressures and a cooling global economy.
Main Stage Highlights
Programming centered on three themes — Our Selves, Our Organizations and Our World — and featured GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang and Board President Rosemary Maloney alongside keynote speakers including Harvard’s Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, chef José Andrés and Jia Jiang. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby also joined the program, offering an airline leader’s perspective on the year ahead. Sessions focused on leadership, resilience, business transformation and the enduring value of in-person connection.
Leadership at the Front Lines
AI
AI Was Everywhere
Artificial intelligence was a dominant thread throughout the event. One story of note: a new Amadeus survey (the “Tailored Horizons Report,” based on 1,000 U.S. travelers) found that 62% of corporate travelers have already used an AI tool to book a work trip, even without an employer-provided tool. Also, 75% said they'd favor an airline offering AI-assisted journey management, and 77% favor AI-powered customer service.
Innovation and Startups
VentureConnect, GBTA's invitation-only startup showcase, returned for its second year, pairing travel-tech startups with investors and buyers. Attendees voted live on the main stage for a winner among three finalists; travel-management platform Nowadays took first place and a $5,000 prize.
Venture Connect
World of Hyatt
Hotel and Ground Travel News
- Preferred Hotels & Resorts highlighted its “Business with Balance” program, which pairs travelers with nearby lifestyle and wellness properties to support “bleisure” trips — timely, since a recent Navan/Skift study found 55% of business travelers took at least two blended business-leisure trips in the past year.
- Radisson Hotel Group launched “Long Stays by Radisson,” a pet-friendly extended-stay concept debuting in Dubai, Stockholm, Istanbul and Cape Town.
- Synergy by SilverDoor launched flagship extended-stay/corporate-housing properties in London, Dublin, New York and Silicon Valley.
- Lyft for Business shared results from its rewards program's first year (10,000+ subscribing companies): 6% back on standard rides and 8% on premium, airport and scheduled rides, with partner tie-ins to Hilton Honors and United MileagePlus. Lyft also announced expansion into Europe and Asia, plus a luxury chauffeur option via its recent TBR Global Chauffeuring acquisition.
Advocacy, Awards and Community
Over the past year, 150 GBTA members held 200 meetings with policymakers across the U.S., Europe and the U.K. on aviation, mobility, border-crossing and sustainability issues. GBTA also recognized its volunteer network (45 boards, committees and councils), naming the Risk Committee as Committee of the Year and honoring individual and allied members for their contributions.
The inaugural GBTA Foundation Gala, held at Chicago’s Field Museum the night before the convention, brought together 250+ industry leaders and raised $83,250 for the Foundation's NextGen career scholarship fund.
Other attendee-experience highlights included buyer “Braindates” for peer-to-peer discussion, a 5K Run/Walk supporting the NextGen fund, a Media Day where 17 companies shared news and product launches and “The Studio@GBTA,” which brought together nearly 60 industry leaders for on-camera conversations.
What’s Next
GBTA’s global calendar continues with regional conferences in Mexico City (LATAM, October), Vienna (Europe, with VDR and ABTA, November 2027), Toronto (Canada, April 2027) and Singapore (APAC, with WERC, June 2027). The next GBTA Conventions are set for San Diego (August 2-4, 2027) and Philadelphia (July 25-27, 2028).
Sources: GBTA official recap (gbta.org); Meetings Today GBTA Media Day coverage; GBT Convention recap.
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