GBTA Welcomes EU Approval of Package Travel Directive and Exclusion of Business Travel

Brussels, Belgium (12 March 2026) − The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) welcomes the approval of the revised Package Travel Directive by the European Parliament today and strongly supports the exclusion of business travel from its scope, a provision that ensures corporate travel services will not be subject to regulatory obligations designed for the leisure travel sector.

This outcome represents an important recognition by EU policymakers of the distinct nature of business travel and responds to longstanding industry calls for legal clarity. Business travel operates very differently from leisure, with companies negotiating contracts for their entire workforce through specialised intermediaries that form part of the corporate travel ecosystem. These include Global Distribution Systems, Travel Management Companies and Online Booking Tools that companies rely on to book and manage travel for their employees.

Following the approval of this directive, GBTA encourages the European Parliament and EU Member States to maintain momentum on the remaining passenger rights legislative proposals, as the current legislative framework's lack of clarity continues to create operational uncertainty and administrative burdens for business travellers and the companies that support them.