Latin America Business Travel Spending Forecast to Reach $67.7 Billion USD in 2026 As Growth Accelerates Amid Ongoing Economic Pressures

In Brief: Service travel costs in Latin America is forecasted to reach $67.7 billion USD by 2026, indicating sped up development in the sector even as financial pressures continue to impact the area.

At GBTA LATAM Conference 2026, market leaders analyze company travel’s development, development, effect and strength in the area

Organization travel costs in Latin America is anticipated to reach $67.7 billion USD in 2026, a boost of roughly 11% year over year and amongst the greatest local development rates worldwide, according to research study revealed the other day at the Global Business Travel Association’s(GBTA) LATAM Conference 2026 kept in Mexico City.

Regardless of the near-term development, the more comprehensive outlook in Latin America stays determined with local costs development projection to slow to 3.3% in 2027 due to a high reliance on more comprehensive financial stability. Nevertheless, the current expectations highlight the strength and tactical significance of company travel throughout Latin America.

The 18^th GBTA LATAM Conference, held at Hotel Camino Real Polanco, combined over 450 signed up participants representing 17 nations from Latin America and beyond, consisting of 277 purchasers and providers. The Expo included 40 displaying business.

This year’s Conference style, “AI With Purpose: Reimagining Business Travel Through Human-Centric Innovation,” included shows that integrated research study and management viewpoints with useful education on the patterns improving handled travel. Subjects consisted of expert system and information analytics, rates and financial forecasts, tourist experience, sustainability, geopolitical threat and the growing pressure to show the return on every company journey. GBTA management and magnates from global business such as Deloitte, Microsoft, and Qualcomm likewise used their market viewpoints.

“Latin America has strong momentum and a clear chance to turn organization travel development into more comprehensive financial worth,” stated Katharine Farrell, Vice President, Americas. “The research study indicate increasing invest and restored self-confidence, while greater expenses and geopolitical unpredictability enhance the requirement for resistant, purposeful travel programs. The outlook is favorable, however continued success will depend upon clever preparation and quantifiable returns. The discussions at this year’s Conference show the strength and optimism we’re seeing throughout the area.”

Latin America Outlook: Strong 2026 Growth, Moderation Ahead

Mariana Ponce de León, GBTA Regional Director, Mexico, Central America & & Colombia, included,”The strong projection shows the necessary function of in-person engagement in structure client relationships, going into brand-new markets and enhancing companies throughout the area,” stated Ponce de León. “At the very same time, travel programs need to stay disciplined and concentrated on worth as expense and threat pressures continue.”

Part of the Main Stage session was consisted of LATAM-specific research study from the 2026 GBTA Business Travel Index (BTI) revealed in August. Emphasizes consisted of:

• Organization journey volume coming from Latin America is anticipated at 64 million journeys in 2026, up 1.5% year over year.
• Mexico ranks 20th internationally, with projection costs of $10.4 billion USD in 2026.
• Brazil, the area’s only market amongst the international leading 15, is anticipated to reach $35.8 billion USD in costs, a boost of 13.8% from 2025.
• Argentina is anticipated at $6.1 billion USD; Colombia at $5.5 billion USD, Peru at $5.9 billion USD and Chile at $3.4 billion USD.
• Production, public administration and defense, building, retail trade, and farming, forestry and fishing are amongst the sectors anticipated to reveal the greatest service travel development in Latin America.

Company Travel Delivers Local Economic Value

In addition, brand-new findings provided from the just-released 2026 GBTA Global Cities Economic Impact Study show the substantial worth and effect for the locations where organization travel occurs.

Organization travel to and within Mexico City produced $3.3 billion USD in market income for the location based upon 2024 information, consisting of $2.1 billion USD in direct contribution and $1.1 billion USD in indirect and induced contribution. It supported 50,858 tasks, produced $867 million USD in regional value-added income and contributed $419 million USD in taxes. For every single $1 USD invested in organization travel in Mexico City, 41% stays in the regional economy.

“These findings reveal that organization travel’s effect shows up in regional earnings, tasks, provider activity and business development,” stated Daniel Duarte, GBTA Regional Manager, LATAM South. “The chance ahead is to sustain that momentum through smarter financial investment, strong local collaborations and travel programs that stabilize development with durability.”

Increased Confidence Among LATAM Industry Professionals

Findings were likewise provided from GBTA’s September 2026 Industry Sentiment Poll which showed the greatest level of restored self-confidence amongst international areas: 76% of Latin American travel market experts were positive about the next 12 months (although the local sample was restricted.)

Honoring Regional Volunteers and Board Service

The Conference likewise acknowledged the contributions of part of the 2026 GBTA LATAM Advisory BoardChaired by Felipe Cardona, Travel Manager for the Americas at DHL, GBTA LATAM Advisory Board members Miguel Ruiz, Vice President, Solutions Advisory Americas at SAP; Mónica Crawfurd, Managing Director of Sales, CALA at Hilton; Estela Pedrozo, Director, Business Development & & Corporate Solutions at Mastercard; and Conrado Sainz, Corporate Travel Global Coordinator at Exiros/Techint, supply tactical assistance and local insight to support GBTA’s objective throughout Latin America.

Turning Insight into Action Across LATAM

Guests likewise discovered the GBTA Foundation’s expert advancement and sustainability chances targeted at supporting a more sustainable, inclusive and durable future for company travel:

• GBTA WINiT, providing mentorships, occasions, workshops, awards and expert advancement chances for females in business travel market.
• The Sustainability Acceleration Challengea tool to support business on their journey towards net no travel emissions and to enhance their sustainability efforts.

Ways to Become Involved in GBTA

The Conference ended with a calendar of occasions happening in LATAM and beyond, consisting of the GBTA Europe Conference 2026going on Nov 2-4 in Vienna, and upcoming GBTA 2027 LATAM occasions:

Organization Travel Forums

• March in Monterrey, Mexico
• April in Santiago, Chile
• May in Bogotá, Colombia
• July in Guadalajara, Mexico
• November in Buenos Aires, Argentina

The New Business Travel Summit

• June in São Paulo, Brazil

GBTA is likewise preparing Fundamentals of Business Travel Management and Advanced Principles of Business Travel Management in-person courses for Mexico and Brazil in the 2nd half of 2027, in addition to buyer-only webinars for the area.

For additional information about the GBTA LATAM Conference, go to mexicoconference.gbta.organd gain access to photos from the Conference in the coming days here