Hickory Global Partners Names the Most Expensive and Most Popular Cities for Business Travel

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Hickory Global Partners, a global corporate travel consortium with more than 2,500 members across 74 countries that works with more than 51,000 hotel partners, has announced the world’s most expensive and popular cities for business travel based on 2025 booking data from its platform for travel agencies, corporate travel departments and corporations.

Hickory’s list of the most expensive domestic and international cities for business travel was determined by calculating the average daily rate of spend per city, which reflects the cost a corporation incurs to host an event or seminar while providing hotel accommodations for employees.

The top 10 most expensive U.S. cities for business travel are:

1. New York, NY

2. Chicago, IL

3. Las Vegas, NV

4. San Diego, CA

5. Dallas, TX

6. Charlotte, NC

7. Atlanta, GA

8. Orlando, FL

9. Houston, TX

10. Columbus, OH

The top 10 most popular U.S. cities for business travel are:

1. New York, NY

2. Houston, TX

3. Chicago, IL

4. San Diego, CA

5. Atlanta, GA

6. Columbus, OH

7. Las Vegas, NV

8. Dallas, TX

9. Orlando, FL

10. Charlotte, NC

While major corporate hubs such as New York City and Chicago continue to remain among the most popular and tourist-heavy destinations regardless of price, cities such as Dallas and San Diego have seen an increase in ADR as their in popularity as so-called “second cities” continues to grow. Others, including Columbus and Charlotte, are beginning to see an increased demand because they serve as hubs for specific industries.

Columbus, for example, is a center for both finance and fashion and is home to the headquarters of Abercrombie & Fitch, DSW and Bread Financial. Charlotte is home to several energy and life sciences companies, including Duke Energy and GeneType.

For international business travel, the top 10 most popular cities are:

1. London, England

2. Paris, France

3. Tokyo, Japan

4. Amsterdam, Netherlands

5. Singapore, Singapore

6. Toronto, Canada

7. Montreal, Canada

8. Calgary, Singapore

9. São Paulo, Brazil 

10. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

The top 10 most popular international cities for business travel are:

1. London, England

2. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

3. Paris, France

4. Toronto, Canada

5. Tokyo, Japan

6. Montreal, Canada

7. Calgary, Canada

8. Singapore, Singapore

9. Amsterdam, Netherlands

10. São Paulo, Brazil 

Cities such as London, Paris and Tokyo continue to bolster high price tags for business travelers, but remain popular because they offer expansive metropolitan areas with ample hotel inventory and meeting space. Other destinations, including Amsterdam, Singapore and Toronto, maintain a high ADR due to the local economy, but continue to attract business travelers from around the world due local industries and the opportunity to extend trips for “bleisure” travel.

Building relationships in person is still a major priority for most corporations, and many are aiming to do so in more interesting locations when possible. As business travel continues to grow, companies across various sectors are looking to make business trips and conferences feel more luxurious and immersive in an effort to make the experience worthwhile. While this comes with a higher price tag at times, many are finding the cost to be worthwhile

Chris Dane, president and managing partner of Hickory Global Partners

While some of the above cities are the listed as the most expensive for business travel, some may be considered far more affordable than expected. Rio de Janeiro, for example, has an ADR of $71, but is the second most popular international city by volume and corporate hotel rooms booked per night. By contrast, the two most expensive cities overall, New York and London, are also the most popular in their respective categories according to corporate hotel bookings.

These findings indicate that business travel is expected to remain strong in 2026, with global business travel spending forecasted to reach $1.7 trillion in 2026, an 8% gain compared to 2025. While specific destinations come with higher costs, demand remains high and companies continue to allocate budgets in order to deliver meaningful, high-quality travel experiences for employees.

About Hickory Global Partners, LLC

Founded over 40 years ago, Hickory Global Partners is an industry-leading global alliance for Travel Management Companies (TMCs), Corporate Travel Departments (CTDs) and corporations that delivers unparalleled negotiated discounts and commissions, resources, support, and value that significantly benefit its members and, ultimately, their clients. Hickory Global Partners bridges the gap between members and suppliers and raises the bar on what being a global corporate travel alliance is all about. Its visionary hotel program, robust air program, one-of-a-kind ground transportation program, comprehensive ancillary portfolio and cutting-edge technology and tools make Hickory Global Partners an important strategic partner in the corporate travel industry. Hickory Global Partners is a wholly owned unit of InteleTravel. For more information, visit www.hickoryglobalpartners.com.