Reduced business travel is also being driven by too much work (24%), health concerns (20%) and restrictive company travel policies, according to the Ipsos survey for the U.S. Travel Association.

Business travel has seen a decline or "normalization" in recent years due to a combination of economic, technological, and cultural shifts. The primary driver is the widespread adoption of high-quality video conferencing and collaborative AI tools, which have made many face-to-face meetings, internal training sessions, and routine "check-ins" unnecessary and costly. From a corporate perspective, reducing travel is an easy way to cut overhead costs and meet sustainability goals, as companies face increasing pressure to lower their carbon footprints. Additionally, the rise of "bleisure" (mixing business with leisure) has changed the nature of trips; employees are taking fewer but longer trips, rather than frequent two-day hops. Economic uncertainty and high interest rates in early 2026 have also led many firms to tighten their travel budgets, prioritizing only essential "deal-closing" travel or major industry conferences. Finally, the shift toward remote and hybrid work models means that many workers are no longer based in central hubs, making the traditional "commuter" style of business travel less practical for many organizations.