SAP Concur publishes Global Business Travel Survey 2025

SAP Concur has published its seventh Global Business Travel Survey. The annual international survey reveals that business travel budgets could increase this year and examines the effects of reduced budgets on travel, employees, and the company. The results are based on data from 3,750 business travelers across 24 markets and 700 travel managers across seven markets. For the first time, CFOs were also surveyed.

Almost all business travelers worldwide (97%) are at least partially willing to travel for business purposes in the next twelve months – contrary to the assessment of travel managers (45%) and CFOs (35%), who see employees' reluctance to travel as a problem, according to the study. 94 percent of travelers state that business travel is helpful (39%) or even essential (55%) for their work. Business travel is more important for men than for women (58% vs. 49%). In the DACH region, business travel is also considered important for professional success, with German travelers (97%) rating it as more relevant than travelers from Austria (88%) and Switzerland (87%).

Travel and finance managers may still be on the right track with their assessment. After all, nine out of ten travelers (90%) say they would refuse a trip under certain conditions. The most important reasons are:

• Safety or social concerns about the destination (40%)
• Health concerns when traveling to certain places (38%)
• Burnout due to business travel and the need for a break (26%)

While half of respondents (51%) say their business travel frequency is appropriate, 30 percent feel their current travel frequency is too high. 19 percent report traveling less than they would like. However, perceptions vary depending on the work model. For example, employees who work fully remotely (64%) are more likely to report being dissatisfied with their travel frequency than those who work fully on-site (46%) or in a hybrid model (45%). The choice of transportation also plays a role for business travelers. Following recent incidents, a majority (58%) have concerns about the safety of air travel. However, for 41 percent of them, this has no impact on their travel plans.

Business travel under cost pressure

The majority of all surveyed groups (business travelers 89%, travel managers 93%, and CFOs 90%) expect an increase or an unchanged budget for business travel in their company. German travelers (86%), travel managers (84%), and finance managers (79%) are somewhat more cautious but still optimistic about their travel budgets.

However, the results also indicate that even with a potential increase in budget, the financial resources are still too low. Globally, over two-thirds (69%) of travel managers believe that the existing budget does not reflect the importance of business travel. 81 percent of finance managers agree. Budget constraints lead to lower travel frequency, which prevents employees from performing their duties effectively.

According to travelers surveyed worldwide (60%), tighter budgets usually manifest themselves in small changes – such as the requirement to choose the cheapest fares or forego checked baggage and upgrades. This is particularly noticeable among travelers from the DACH region (74%). Major changes, such as adjustments to travel policies, are rare.

87 percent of respondents stated that previously permitted travel options have been restricted in the last twelve months. These include overnight stays to avoid long day trips (30%), the use of business or premium class (30%), and non-client-related travel, such as team meetings or conferences (28%). One in four companies is also becoming stricter when it comes to combined travel such as workations and bleisure trips: A quarter of respondents stated that they are no longer allowed to work remotely during private trips (26%) or are not allowed to extend a business trip with a private trip (25%) – despite these types of travel being very popular.

Business travelers would pay for more comfort themselves

The majority of business travelers surveyed (84%) say their habits differ when traveling for business than when traveling for pleasure. The most frequently cited differences include:

• Overnight stays in higher-quality hotels or a higher room category (34%)
• Booking expensive direct flights (33%)
• Use of private transportation such as Uber or ride services (32%)
• Eating in high-quality restaurants and spending more on food (29%)
• Room service (26%)
• Higher tips or tips for services where they are not customary (22%)

If the travel policy doesn't cover certain aspects, 85 percent of business travelers worldwide – including 79 percent of travelers from the DACH region – would invest their own money to enhance their trip. This could include higher-quality accommodations (38%), additional nights to avoid a long travel day (35%), or premium seating (30%).

At the same time, a similar majority of travelers (84%) are taking steps to save money or stretch their available budget while traveling. Popular measures include looking for inexpensive meals on-site (36%) or bringing pre-cooked food (28%) to stay below the meal allowance. Using personal credit cards and loyalty programs to collect points or miles (34%) is also popular, as is taking home snacks and leftover food (26%) or amenities such as hotel soap and conference gifts (24%). And although a quarter of travelers worldwide say their company restricts the extension of a business trip with a personal trip, 27 percent of respondents use this option to save costs.

"Appropriate travel comfort is a prerequisite for productive business trips," says Ramona Gamm, Senior Product Marketing Manager, MEE at SAP Concur. "Standard travel services are not the responsibility of employees. Rather, it is the responsibility of companies to find a balanced approach. They must educate employees about risks, coordinate the ideal travel frequency, and ensure appropriate conditions. In this way, they not only promote willingness to travel but also long-term company success."

For further information and additional results, see the global white paper for business travelers

About the study

The SAP Concur study was conducted by Wakefield Research , a leading independent provider of quantitative, qualitative and hybrid market research worldwide, among 3,750 business travelers in 24 markets (US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg), Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Italy, Spain, ANZ region (Australia and New Zealand), Middle East (UAE and Saudi Arabia), Japan, Korea, India, Mexico, Brazil, SEA region (Singapore and Malaysia), South Africa, Portugal, Switzerland and Austria). The independent online survey took place between April 30 and May 12, 2025.

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