Business travel is increasingly being used as a tool to attract and retain employees, according to new research, highlighting a growing opportunity for meetings and events professionals to support wider employee engagement strategies.
Data from Business Travel Show Europe found that 20 per cent of organisations now use business travel as part of their talent attraction and retention strategy, up from 18.5 per cent a year ago.
The research suggests that employers are increasingly recognising the value employees place on travel opportunities, particularly among younger workers, as organisations look for new ways to strengthen their employee value proposition.
Among respondents, 6 per cent said their organisation includes bleisure travel as an employee benefit, while 2 per cent allow workcations. More than half (52 per cent) said they do not currently use business travel as a talent retention tool, although this is down from 57 per cent in 2025.
The findings point to a broader shift in how organisations view travel, moving beyond its traditional role as a business necessity and towards a more strategic function that supports employee experience, wellbeing and engagement.
For meetings and events professionals, the trend is likely to have implications for internal events, incentive travel programmes, leadership meetings and company offsites, as organisations increasingly seek ways to create meaningful face-to-face experiences for employees.
Louis Magliaro, executive vice president of The BTN Group, said: “We’re seeing a real shift in how organisations think about business travel. It’s no longer viewed purely as a cost centre, but becoming a meaningful part of the employee value proposition.
“For younger talent especially, the opportunity to travel, blend work with leisure and experience new cultures is a powerful differentiator. This data shows HR teams are recognising that.”
The research comes as employers continue to navigate evolving workforce expectations, with flexibility, personal development and experiences increasingly competing alongside salary and traditional benefits packages.
The findings also underline the growing overlap between HR, travel and meetings functions as organisations seek to align employee engagement, culture and business objectives.
The data was collected from 192 travel professionals surveyed by Business Travel Show Europe in April 2026, including corporate travel buyers, procurement professionals, meetings and events managers and executive assistants.
Business Travel Show Europe takes place at Excel London on 24-25 June and is co-located with The Meetings Show and TravelTech Show.
