Taking care of business: Asia Pacific showing strong growth  

The Asia Pacific region is taking care of business. The region is seeing “a strong upward trajectory” in business travel and remains the largest global market in 2026 — even as companies navigate ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and economic pressures.

In terms of spending, the region is forecast to reach over $700 billion USD in 2026, accounting for more than 40% of total outbound spending.

China is expected to lead the region with $408 billion in business travel spending in 2026, while key markets including Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore are all projected to post strong year-over-year growth.

That was the headline news at the recent GBTA APAC Conference 2026, which attracted more than 1,100 registered attendees from 35 countries. The event convened industry leaders, corporate travel managers and suppliers from across the region and beyond to explore the current and future state of business travel.

Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA, observed: “Business travel continues to demonstrate its resilience and relevance worldwide, notwithstanding geopolitical challenges, with APAC leading that momentum.”

Neufang pointed out that: “Our latest data, cautiously optimistic, underscores not only the region’s strong growth, but also the critical role business travel plays in driving economic expansion, fostering innovation and strengthening in-person connections.”

And she added: “As organizations navigate an increasingly complex global landscape, strategic investment in travel remains essential to achieving meaningful business and diplomatic outcomes.”

During the conference, Neufang outlined the resilience of global business travel and unveiled new spending forecast data for APAC along with its significant economic contribution in Singapore.

According to the latest GBTA Global Business Travel Index (“BTI”) analysis, in 2026 APAC is projected to remain the world’s largest business travel region, even as travel programs face growing pressures from costs, geopolitical uncertainty and evolving risk and safety concerns.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to reach $700.9 billion USD in business travel spending in 2026, showing a year-over-year increase of 10.9%. China is forecast to lead APAC in business travel spending at $408 billion, representing 58% of the entire region.

The top five APAC countries for business travel spending –  China, Japan, South Korea, India and Australia – represent $623.2 billion, or just over 40% of the 2026 global forecast total of $1.69 trillion USD, according to GBTA BTI data.

Among the APAC markets anticipated for strong year-over-year growth are Japan (15.3%), South Korea (13.3%), India (12.5%), Australia (9.7%), Taiwan (24.7%), Indonesia (12.6%) and Singapore (9.0%).

Much of APAC’s growth is being fueled by sectors such as Manufacturing, Utilities, Construction and Administrative Services, highlighting the essential link between business travel and core economic activity – even as recovery remains uneven across industries.

Amid APAC’s strong outlook, there is still concern among regional industry professionals for the remainder of 2026 as reflected in insights presented by Neufang from GBTA’s April global survey of travel buyers, suppliers and intermediaries. Among APAC respondents, optimism fell from 56% in January to 46% in April, with pessimism remaining at about 25%, aligning with GBTA global trends.