Business Travel Show Europe data shows airline pricing holds steady as biggest challenge facing buyers in 2024

• Duty of care and enforcing compliance increasingly important 
• Globalisation and keeping up to date with legislation and restrictions new entrants to the top 10   
• Three quarters ready for CSRD  

Business Travel Show Europe celebrates 30 years in 2024: 19-20 June, ExCeL, London 24 January 2024 

Airline pricing remains top of the list of challenges facing corporate travel buyers as 2024 gets underway. Duty of care and traveller risk shoots up to second place. Pressure around increasing costs drops to fifth and accommodation pricing rises to number three.  

Newly released data from Business Travel Show Europe has highlighted the top 10 challenges (from a multiple choice of 28) voted for by 322 European travel buyers, procurement and HR managers, EAs and PAs in December 2023.  

Additionally, buyers were asked whether they were ready for CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), which began phasing in from 1st January and aims to elevate sustainability reporting to the same standard as financial reporting. The good news is that almost one third - 74.7% - said yes. 12.5% replied no and 12.8% don’t know.  

BTN Group Executive Vice President Louis Magliaro: “Six months ago, the overarching challenge facing business travel buyers was cost: how to reduce it, manage it and minimise the impact. For 2024, Business Travel Show Europe research showed that over half of buyers will have more budget, which is giving them breathing space to increase their focus on travellers and traveller wellbeing.  

“This is critical given the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, natural disasters including widespread flooding and the recent earthquakes in Afghanistan and Japan, and many more threats on our travellers’ wellbeing.  

“Business Travel Show Europe returns in June to celebrate its 30th anniversary and will have all the suppliers, content and networking opportunities buyers need to beat all of these challenges.”  

The poll was answered by 322 European travel buyers, procurement and HR managers, EAs and PAs (43% with budgets under £3m and 51% with budgets over £3m). Registration will open 8 April with free tickets available to qualified travel bookers, buyers and managers. 

Business Travel Show Europe returns to ExCeL London from 19-20 June 2024 to celebrate its 30th anniversary. It runs alongside TravelTech Show and The Meetings Show and brings together over 700 buyers and 200 exhibitors for high-level, in-person networking and a premium conference programme. Registration for the show/s will open in March 2024.