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GBTA, BTA and ITM issued the following statement on 21 November 2025 representing the business travel industry and their collective members related to potential impacts to the sector and the market as the UK government prepares to announce its Autumn Budget on 26 November 2025.
Spokesperson: Clive Wratten, CEO at Business Travel Association “Increasing the cost of travelling for work risks undermining growth at the very moment the UK economy needs it most.
“As we approach the Budget, our members are particularly concerned by reports of a new overnight visitor levy, a further rise in Air Passenger Duty (APD), and the potential introduction of a pay-per-mile levy on electric vehicles. Each of these measures, in isolation, adds friction to the UK’s economy. Taken together, they risk sending a signal that travelling for work, which is a key driver of national productivity, is being discouraged rather than supported.
An overnight visitor levy may appear modest, but for regional cities competing for conferences, investment and talent, it becomes a direct deterrent. Overnight levies will hit those very areas the Government is seeking to level up, penalising travellers whose visits fuel local economies.
An overnight visitor levy may appear modest, but for regional cities competing for conferences, investment and talent, it becomes a direct deterrent. Overnight levies will hit those very areas the Government is seeking to level up, penalising travellers whose visits fuel local economies.
Another increase in APD, already one of the world’s highest and most complicated aviation taxes, risks eroding the UK’s competitiveness as a place to do business. APD is not simply a passenger charge; it is a tax on global connectivity that directly penalises UK plc for engaging in international trade. “Consider an economy class flight to a trade partner like India, with whom just this year we signed a free trade agreement. The standard APD rate on that long-haul business journey is currently set to be £102 per passenger. This is not a necessarily cost for travelling boardroom executives; it’s more commonly for frontline professionals delivering practical work. It’s a policy that is profoundly counterintuitive, actively penalising the very business travel needed to maximise the benefit of a crucial new trade deal.”
“We also note speculation around a pay-per-mile charge on EVs. While we agree that future road taxation must be sustainable, an early levy risks sending mixed messages about the UK’s commitment to greener corporate travel. If the Government wants to shift travellers toward low-carbon alternatives, then rapid railway reform, reliable services and modern ticketing must come first. “Across all these measures, the BTA, GBTA and ITM stand ready to work with the Government on solutions that drive economic growth without inhibiting business travel. Business travel isn’t a luxury; it’s how the UK wins investment, delivers services and keeps supply chains running. We require a travel system that is affordable, reliable and competitive globally.”
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Source: traveldailymedia