The 2025 Global Business Travel Association Canada Conference presented insights that showed Canadian business travel spending had surpassed the pre-pandemic level in 2024. However, market uncertainty dampens the outlook for the year 2025.
In 2025 GBTA Canada ConferenceThe association provided new insights on the Canadian business travel industry. The event attracted 670 attendees from Canada and abroad, including 190 corporate travellers, suppliers and industry professionals. In addition to 62 companies, the conference featured an expo with their services and product.
Uncertainty and Growth of Canadian Business Travel
In her presentation, GBTA’s CEO Suzanne Neufang highlighted Canada’s 15% growth in spending year-over-year by 2024. In her presentation, Neufang also highlighted a decline in optimism in Canada compared to November 2020 figures. This decline in confidence is due to the uncertainty around U.S. Trade, which has shaped a more conservative outlook for 2025.
Canada’s Business Travel Expenditures in Comparison
The GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook Report revealed that Canada would be the 13th biggest global market for business travel in 2024 with estimated spending of 36.5 billion CAD. This represents 102% more than pre-pandemic levels. This spending is expected to grow by 17.7%, to $44.3 billion in 2025. This will outperform the average global growth rate.
Canadian Travel Buyers Expectation 2025
Despite growth in 2024 a GBTA industry survey revealed that 71% Canadians surveyed expected a decline in business travel expenditure for their company in 2025. A GBTA global industry poll revealed that 71% of Canadian travel buyers surveyed expect a decrease in their company’s business travel spending for 2025.
Canadian Business Traveller Behavior
GBTA The research revealed some interesting insights about the behaviour of Canadian business travellers. Canadian business travellers will spend more per trip by 2024 compared to their U.S. counterparts. Most Canadians traveled for a convention/conference, seminar/training, or sales/account management/partner meetings. In Canada, 55% business travelers extended their work trips to include personal time.
