Munich & Berlin, March 4, 2025 – Dr. Fried & Partner and ITB Berlin proudly present the first results of the Global Travel Buyer Index (GTBI), a new industry indicator for travel procurement. The GTBI provides valuable insights into the current market situation and the expectations of travel buyers, serving as an early indicator for developments in the travel market.
The results were first presented at ITB Berlin 2025 by Dr. Markus Heller, Managing Partner at Dr. Fried & Partner, in a keynote titled “Industry Outlook and the Importance of Indices for Market Development” on March 4, 2025.
GTBI: An Early Indicator for Travel Procurement
The Global Travel Buyer Index (GTBI) is based on a quarterly survey and gathers assessments and expectations from travel buyers within the ITB Buyers Circle. This group consists of decision-makers responsible for procurement in the leisure travel sector, representing major tour operators and travel agencies worldwide. The GTBI aims to identify shifts in purchasing behavior early on and provide a structured analysis of market dynamics.
In February 2025, 124 travel buyers participated in the survey. The majority came from European markets (Germany: 24%, Europe total: 52%), with additional participants from North America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. The main focus of their procurement is on hotels (89%), DMC services (56%), transfers (56%), and activities & events (49%).
Current Market Situation: Procurement Activity Remains Strong
The results show that 68% of respondents reported an increase in order volume over the past six months, while 23% observed no change, and 10% reported a decline.
Additionally, the share of fixed purchases, meaning procurement secured through guarantees or long-term contracts, increased for 63% of participants, while 30% reported a stable situation and 7% noted a decrease.
Furthermore, 73% of respondents indicated that the effort required for contract negotiations and procurement agreements had increased, while 23% reported no change, and only 3% saw a decrease in workload.
The Current Situation Index stands at 94 points (November 2024: 97 points).
Future Expectations: Continued Positive Market Outlook
Expectations for the next six months remain largely optimistic. 65% of travel buyers anticipate a further increase in order volume, while 27% expect a stable development, and 7% foresee a decline.
Regarding the share of fixed purchases, 60% predict an increase, 34% expect no change, and 6% anticipate a decrease.
Additionally, 62% of respondents expect that the effort required for procurement contracts will rise, while 35% foresee no change, and only 3% anticipate a reduction in contracting effort.
The Future Expectation Index is 92 points (November 2024: 96 points).
Global Travel Buyer Index
The Global Travel Buyer Index (GTBI) has now been published for the first time and stands at 94 points in February 2025 (November 2024: 97 points). The results indicate that procurement activity remains at a high level, and expectations for the coming months remain predominantly positive.
The GTBI is updated quarterly and serves as a continuous market observation tool for tour operators, destinations, and service providers.