Corporate travel picks up pace as firms prioritize in-person conversations over virtual ones
Business Travel Surges as Companies Prioritize In-Person Interactions
A significant increase in business travel has been observed, according to the Navan Business Travel Index (BTI), a data-driven report that offers insights into how companies are investing in growth, relationships, and in-person collaboration.
The Navan BTI, conceived by Navan CFO Amy Butte, shows a 15% year-over-year spike in business travel, with this surge primarily driven by companies prioritizing more face-to-face meetings. Key contributing factors include industry-specific growth, increased international travel, and the adoption of advanced travel management technology.
One of the notable trends is the growth in certain industries, with media & entertainment (43% increase year-on-year) and real estate (27% increase year-on-year) leading the way. There's also a resurgence in overseas travel, with a 17% growth in overseas hotel spending, surpassing domestic US hotel stay growth (12%).
Employee travel has also seen a boost, with a 22% increase in taxis and rideshare transactions, alongside a 10% rise in personal meal transactions during trips. Companies are reallocating budgets from large internal team events (which declined slightly) to targeted one-to-one business meetings.
Technology-enabled travel management is also playing a significant role in this surge. Companies like Canva and HelloFresh are using platforms like Navan for streamlined travel management and support of complex initiatives.
This combination of stronger industry demand for in-person engagement, increased international travel, and technology-enabled travel management is driving the 15% year-on-year rise in business travel bookings recorded in Q2 2025 on Navan’s platform.
Despite this growth, other sectors like nonprofit organizations, the hospitality and travel sector, and healthcare and life sciences companies have reduced their travel spending. TSA data showed a 1% dip in overall travel, indicating an emphasis on face-to-face interactions by companies.
The Navan BTI, built on five core principles, offers a unique, data-driven look at how companies are investing in growth, relationships, and in-person collaboration. It tracks international and domestic airline bookings, hotel reservations, and business expenses, providing a clear, detailed view of business travel activity on Navan's platform.
The report also shows that business travel spikes correlate with corporate planning cycles and industry conferences, further emphasizing the strategic importance of in-person meetings for businesses. Navan's Chief Economist Phil Mackintosh predicts that this trend will continue among large, small, and medium-sized businesses, with companies likely to travel more to find sourcing for manufacturing in other geographies, rather than less to China.
In conclusion, the Navan BTI report underscores the resurgence of business travel as companies prioritize in-person interactions, backed by industry growth, increased international travel, and technology-enabled travel management.
