Support for minority groups on business trips is weakening despite rising security risks
New research by Business Travel Show Europe shows that corporate business travel policies are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt to the needs of minority and underrepresented groups of employees, even as security, geopolitical and reputational risks for employers are rising at the same time. According to data published ahead of this year’s edition of the trade show in London, support in travel programmes has declined in almost all observed categories of travellers, including LGBTQ+ people, racialised and ethnically marginalised employees, neurodivergent people, younger and older travellers, and religious groups. The survey was conducted in April 2026 among 192 professionals in corporate travel, procurement, meetings and events, and business administration, and the organisers interpret it as a sign that the gap between declared diversity policies and actual travel procedures is widening.
According to a report carried by Breaking Travel News, travellers with accessibility needs still have the highest level of structured support, but even that category has not reached the level recorded in 2024. In 2026, 41 percent of organisations state that they have specific policies for travellers with accessibility needs, which is higher than in 2025, when the share was 35 percent, but lower than the 43 percent recorded in 2024. At the same time, 42 percent of organisations still have no specific policies relating to accessibility in business travel. Such findings indicate that progress is not linear and that even in an area that is among the most visible in discussions about business travel, it is not possible to speak of a stable shift.
The data is particularly sensitive because it relates to the area of so-called duty of care, namely the obligation of employers to reasonably plan, assess and mitigate the risks to which employees are exposed while travelling for work. In the ISO 31030:2021 standard, the International Organization for Standardization describes travel risk management as a structured approach that includes policy, programme development, identification of threats and hazards, risk assessment, preventive measures and continuous review. In this context, a travel policy that does not take into account different traveller profiles may be insufficient not only from an organisational perspective, but also from a security and reputational perspective.
The largest decline recorded among LGBTQ+ travellers, young employees and neurodivergent people
According to Business Travel Show Europe data, support for LGBTQ+ travellers fell from 27 percent in 2024 and 22 percent in 2025 to 20 percent in 2026. The research was published ahead of June, the month in which Pride is marked in many countries, so the organisers particularly highlighted that the decline in support for this group came at a time when business travel often includes destinations with different legal, social and security circumstances. For LGBTQ+ employees, risks may include discrimination, harassment, legal obstacles in certain countries, problems when checking into accommodation or additional exposure at borders and in public spaces. The article does not state that every organisation faces the same risk, but the results suggest that a large share of travel programmes do not contain specific guidelines for such situations.
A similar pattern is visible among racialised and ethnically marginalised travellers. According to the research, the share of organisations that have policies for this group fell from 23 percent in 2024 to 19 percent in 2026. Such policies, when they exist, may include destination risk assessment, clear channels for reporting discrimination, guidelines for handling profiling or inappropriate treatment, and the selection of suppliers that have verified security and non-discrimination procedures. Without such elements, the employer in practice relies on a generic travel policy, although the travel experience is not the same for all employees.
An even more pronounced decline was recorded among younger travellers. Business Travel Show Europe states that support for younger employees in travel programmes fell from 26 percent in 2024 to only 14 percent in 2026. This figure is important because younger employees are often only beginning to gain experience in international business travel, negotiating with suppliers, coping with crisis situations and assessing security risks. For organisations, this may mean a need for clearer prior instructions, available support during the trip and realistic rules on the choice of transport, accommodation and arrivals in unfamiliar cities late at night.
Neurodivergent travellers are also among the groups where a strong decline in support has been recorded. According to the published data, the share of organisations with specific policies for neurodivergent people fell from 18 percent in 2024 to 11 percent in 2026. In practice, this may mean that travel policies do not recognise needs related to sensitivity to noise, crowds, schedule changes, unclear communication instructions or stress in an unfamiliar environment. Experts in inclusive travel often point out that adjustments that help neurodivergent people, such as clearer itineraries, quieter routes, more flexible schedules and information available in advance, can improve the experience of all employees, not only one group.
Women travelling alone have more support than last year, but most organisations still have no specific measures
The data for women travelling alone shows a partial recovery, but not stable progress. According to the Business Travel Show Europe survey, 35 percent of organisations in 2026 have policies for solo female travellers, which is higher than 29 percent in 2025, but still slightly below the 36 percent recorded in 2024. More than half of organisations, or 51 percent, still have no tailored support for women who go on business trips alone. This figure is significant because the safety of women while travelling is increasingly linked in the business sector to the choice of accommodation, transport, flight times, the location of meetings and the availability of emergency support.
Specific policies for solo female travellers do not have to mean separating female employees from standard business procedures or limiting their travel opportunities. They may include a reasonable possibility of refusing accommodation in remote or poorly lit locations, choosing verified transport, avoiding arrivals late at night when possible, clear protocols for reporting harassment and available contacts in the event of an incident. Such measures may be part of a wider risk management system, not a special concession to a particular group. An effective travel policy, according to travel risk management standards, is based on assessing real threats, not on the assumption that all travellers are exposed to the same circumstances.
The findings also show that employers recognise some risks only when they are already widely visible in public debates. Women travelling alone and people with accessibility needs have the highest level of support among the observed groups, but even in these categories a large number of organisations have no specific policies. For employers operating globally, this may mean that some decisions on employee safety and wellbeing are still left to individuals, line managers or suppliers, instead of being built into a unified and verifiable system.
Plans for future support have sharply declined
One of the most worrying parts of the research concerns the reduction in the number of organisations stating that they plan to introduce support for individual groups of travellers. According to the published results, plans to support travellers with accessibility needs fell from 14 percent in 2024 to five percent in 2026. Among LGBTQ+ travellers, the share of organisations planning to introduce measures fell from nine to three percent, and among racialised travellers from ten to three percent. The largest decline in the category of intention to introduce measures was recorded among neurodivergent travellers, from 12 percent in 2024 to only one percent in 2026.
Such a trend may mean that some organisations are delaying changes because of cost pressure, a lack of resources or other operational priorities. Louis Magliaro, executive vice president of BTN Group, the organiser of the Business Travel Show event series, commented that the share of organisations without policies specifically designed for minority traveller groups appears to have increased significantly over the past year. At the same time, he warned that the decline is occurring during a period of geopolitical instability, risks of identity-based harassment and changed expectations among younger generations of employees.
Magliaro, according to the published statement, added that the pressure travel managers are under should also be taken into account. In addition to managing risks, they are expected to reduce costs, use budgets more efficiently and take on additional responsibilities with fewer resources. This note is important for understanding the broader picture: the decline in support does not necessarily mean that organisations consider minority groups unimportant, but it shows that inclusivity in business travel often does not turn into operational, measurable and funded procedures. The gap between intention and implementation is precisely what the research highlights most strongly.
Why travel policies can no longer rely on one model for everyone
Business travel has become more complex in recent years because of geopolitical tensions, changing border rules, health risks, climate disruptions, strikes, cyber threats and changes in employee expectations. ISO 31030 states that organisations should develop systems that include the identification of threats and hazards, risk assessment, prevention and mitigation strategies, and regular programme review. This means that a travel policy should not be merely an administrative document about approving expenses, transport classes and hotel limits. It is increasingly becoming part of human resources management, security, compliance, reputation and business continuity.
An inclusive travel policy does not mean that a completely separate system is created for every group, but that situations are recognised in which generic rules are not sufficient. For travellers with disabilities or other accessibility needs, this may mean checking the actual accessibility of hotels, transport and meeting spaces. For religious travellers, it may include understanding dietary rules, holidays, prayer spaces or destination risks. For older travellers, travel schedules, connection times, medical support and route flexibility may be relevant. For younger employees, mentorship, clear instructions and access to help in the event of unexpected problems may be crucial.
In its materials on the accessibility of business travel, the Global Business Travel Association emphasises the importance of policies and practices that help travel managers and suppliers systematically remove barriers. This approach shows that inclusivity is not only a matter of internal culture, but also of concrete decisions about suppliers, booking tools, communication, security assessments and the way incidents are reported and resolved. When a travel programme lacks such mechanisms, employees often have to assess for themselves what is safe, appropriate or acceptable, which increases risk and inequality among travellers.
The event in London will try to open a discussion on new frameworks
Business Travel Show Europe will be held on 24 and 25 June 2026 at the ExCeL London exhibition centre, according to information published on the event’s official website. The organisers state that it is an event intended for the corporate travel community, with more than 200 exhibitors, more than 700 buyers and a programme of conference content, workshops and networking. In the announcement about the research, it is highlighted that this year’s programme should help travel managers and buyers face the challenges of inclusive duty of care, security and future travel policies.
The discussion comes at a time when corporate travel programmes are expected to do more than control costs. Employers increasingly have to prove that they know where their employees are, what risks they are exposed to, how they can contact them in a crisis and what measures they have taken before the trip. If differences among travellers are neglected in the process, a policy may look orderly on paper but fail in practice to provide adequate protection. That is precisely why the results of Business Travel Show Europe have broader significance than the business travel industry itself: they raise the question of how ready organisations are to connect diversity, security and operational implementation.
For travel managers, human resources departments, security teams and procurement, the key challenge will be turning general principles into concrete procedures. This includes collecting feedback from employees, assessing risks by destination, selecting suppliers that can respond to the needs of different travellers, training managers who approve travel and establishing clear channels for escalating problems. The research does not provide a single solution for all organisations, but it clearly shows that business travel can no longer be viewed exclusively through the price of a ticket, a hotel limit and a meeting calendar.
Sources:
- Breaking Travel News – report on the April 2026 Business Travel Show Europe survey and data on the decline in support for minority groups in corporate travel policies (link)
- Business Travel Show Europe – official information about the Business Travel Show Europe 2026 event, venue and participant profile (link)
- Business Travel Show Europe – earlier overview of data on travel programmes for traveller groups with additional needs and comparisons with 2022, 2023 and 2024 (link)
- International Organization for Standardization – description of the ISO 31030:2021 standard on travel risk management for organisations (link)
- GBTA Foundation – materials on accessibility and inclusive practices in business travel (link)