The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) brought the voice of business travel to the U.S. Capitol last week, as brought its annual U.S. Legislative Summit to Washington, D.C. to advocate for policies that strengthen an industry that drives $624 billion in annual economic impact in the U.S. and accounts for 2.1% of the nation’s GDP.
The 2026 Summit brought together industry professionals to network, learn and engage directly with legislators, culminating in more than 120 Capitol Hill meetings where GBTA members from 30 chapters delivered a unified message: Business travel is a powerful economic driver for good across the United States.
Key to the week’s discussions was the recently released “GBTA U.S. Economic Impact Study: Business Travel’s Impact on Jobs and the U.S. Economy.”
In addition to economic and GDP impact, the new study also outlines how business travel to and within the U.S. drives $148.6 billion in tax revenue and supports 6.7 million U.S. jobs.
Summit attendees also advocated for policies essential to ensuring a connected, resilient travel ecosystem including:
- Enhancing the traveler experience
- Supporting Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel
- Modernizing the U.S. air traffic system
- Avoiding burdensome entry processes
- And advancing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) solutions.
Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA, said that: “GBTA’s annual Legislative Summit has long been a powerful bridge between GBTA members and our elected officials.”
Neufang continued: “This week we brought a clear message to lawmakers: Business travel drives measurable economic value, jobs and connectivity within communities nationwide. And smart national policies — from air traffic system modernization and border-crossing efficiency to sustainable aviation fuel production incentives — are essential to a stronger, more resilient travel ecosystem.”
For more, go to www.gbta.org/news-advocacy/advocacy/ .
Tags: Global Business Travel Association, Suzanne Neufang
