--- title: "Postrecovery, Business Travel Expected to Slump in 2015" id: "29228" type: "post" slug: "postrecovery-business-travel-expected-to-slump-in-2015" published_at: "2015-07-09T21:32:06+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T14:17:28+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/07/09/postrecovery-business-travel-expected-to-slump-in-2015/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/07/09/postrecovery-business-travel-expected-to-slump-in-2015.md" excerpt: "Updated projections from the Global Business Travel Association show that while U.S. travel spending remains on the uptick, trip volume is expected to increase only modestly. The association blames the \"erratic performance\" of the economy for the slowdown." taxonomy_category: - "Business Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "economic outlook" - "Travel Industry" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Postrecovery, Business Travel Expected to Slump in 2015 The Global Business Travel Association’s (GBTA) projections for 2015 aren’t looking so rosy after all. The association says that U.S. travel spending is still looking pretty solid, with a 4.9 percent increase anticipated in 2015, compared to 2014. But the number of trips being taken is expected to grow by only 1 percent, to 488.1 million trips. It’s a bit of a comedown for the industry, which has recovered significantly from the 2009 recession. The group remains positive on the outlook for 2016, however. “U.S. business travel was poised for significant growth in 2015, but the erratic performance of key economic drivers caused some to tap the brakes on additional travel spending,” GBTA Executive Director and COO Michael W. McCormick [said in a news release (opens in a new tab)](http://www.gbta.org/PressReleases/Pages/rls_070715.aspx) . “Yet, economic fundamentals remain strong. Business travel will continue to have positive momentum as we move toward 2016, a leading indicator that the overall economy will continue to grow as well.” [In comments to USA Today (opens in a new tab)](http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/07/07/mixed-economic-signals-slow-the-pace-of-biz-travel/29779559/) , McCormick pointed out that economic issues in other countries, such as [the rejection of austerity measures in Greece (opens in a new tab)](http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/07/06/greece-rejects-austerity-measures-faces-uncertain-future) , can have an impact on the U.S. “When people see Greece in the headlines, it does make everyone pause,” McCormick said. “All the economies are so inextricably linked, and the time it takes for something in another part of the world to affect our economy is so fast … Those worries do cause some degree of cautiousness.” On the other hand, if you want to travel to Greece for a vacation, now might be the right time. McCormick [noted in a blog post earlier this week (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.gbta.org/2015/07/06/reading-the-travel-tea-leaves-about-greece-and-europe/) that Greece’s precarious financial situation could make make the country more affordable for international travelers. (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#economic outlook](https://associationsnow.com/tag/economic-outlook/) [#Travel Industry](https://associationsnow.com/tag/travel-industry/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoPartnerships that Drive Success: ASAE Strategic Partnership AllianceAugust 26, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/26/partnerships-that-drive-success-asae-strategic-partnership-alliance/) - [VideoGenerate Leads and Brand Awareness: Master the ASAE MarketplaceJune 18, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/06/18/generate-leads-and-brand-awareness-master-the-asae-marketplace/) - [VideoJohn Graham shares a New Year’s Greeting.January 6, 2010](https://associationsnow.com/2010/01/06/john-graham-shares-a-new-years-greeting/) - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2015%2F07%2F09%2Fpostrecovery-business-travel-expected-to-slump-in-2015%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !