Business travel industry warns proposed ESTA reforms risk US competitiveness

The Global Business Travel Association has urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection to take a balanced approach to proposed changes to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, warning that tougher requirements could undermine U.S. competitiveness and disrupt high-value international business travel. The industry group filed formal comments on February 6, 2026, outlining concerns about expanded data collection, mobile-only applications and longer processing times. It said the reforms risk discouraging meetings, investment and corporate travel to the United States.

The association represents a $1.57 trillion global business travel and meetings sector and says its members directly manage more than USD 363 billion in annual travel spending. It argues that overly burdensome requirements could create compliance conflicts with international privacy laws and raise costs for companies sending staff to the U.S. The group is calling for security measures that protect borders without deterring legitimate travel.

“Security and efficient business travel are not mutually exclusive. While GBTA strongly supports efforts to protect U.S. borders and enhance traveler security, the proposed changes pose significant risks and could undermine the benefits that business travel brings to organizations who send their employees on international trips to the U.S. and the American destinations who welcome them,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA.

“A balanced approach will strengthen national security while ensuring that the U.S. remains an accessible, desired and competitive meeting and conference destination for global business.”

The proposed ESTA reforms would require travellers to provide multiple years of personal data, including social media accounts, phone numbers, email addresses and expanded family information, with the possibility of biometric submissions. The association says these measures would significantly increase administrative workloads for corporate travel teams and raise the risk of errors or delays during approval processes.

It also warns that the expanded data demands could clash with international data protection regulations, particularly in the European Union, where strict rules govern how personal information is collected, stored and transferred across borders. Companies operating globally could face legal uncertainty while trying to comply with both U.S. entry rules and foreign privacy laws.

Another concern highlighted in the submission is the proposal for a mobile-only ESTA application system. GBTA argues this would conflict with corporate security protocols, limit accessibility for some travellers and complicate travel planning for organizations that rely on centralized booking and approval systems.

Beyond operational challenges, the association says the reforms risk creating a chilling effect on U.S.-bound business travel. Longer processing times, unpredictable approvals and heightened privacy concerns could lead companies to shift meetings, conferences and investments to other countries with simpler entry procedures.

To support its position, GBTA cited findings from a January 2026 industry poll of 571 travel professionals across 40 countries. The survey found that 78% of respondents whose organizations regularly send employees to the U.S. were either very or somewhat concerned about the proposed ESTA changes.

Among those surveyed, 65% said the reforms would make travel management more difficult, while 64% pointed to increased complexity in sending staff to the U.S. A further 63% expected higher costs of doing business, and 61% said employees might be less willing to travel because of privacy issues or administrative burdens.

Concerns were particularly pronounced in Europe, where 67% of travel professionals said employees would prefer not to travel to the U.S. if required to disclose extensive personal information. The association says this reflects both privacy sensitivities and uncertainty over how data would be used and protected.

The poll also suggests the changes could alter corporate travel strategies. About 43% of respondents said their companies would be more likely to hold meetings outside the United States, while 29% anticipated a near-term decrease in U.S. business travel and 25% expected longer-term declines. Nearly one in five said their organizations were considering revising travel policies to limit U.S. trips.

GBTA notes that business travel plays a major role in the U.S. economy, citing 2022 data showing an economic impact of USD 484 billion and support for around six million American jobs. It argues that even modest declines in international business travel could have ripple effects across airlines, hotels, conference venues and local economies.

In its formal comments, the association is urging border authorities to reconsider the scope of data collection, maintain alternative application channels and ensure processing systems remain efficient and predictable. It says security objectives can be met without imposing measures that discourage legitimate travel or create barriers for global companies.

As the U.S. reviews the proposed ESTA reforms, the business travel industry is calling for collaboration between regulators and the private sector to avoid unintended economic consequences. GBTA says the goal should be a system that enhances security while preserving the country’s attractiveness as a destination for international meetings, trade and investment.