{"id":29344,"date":"2026-02-06T10:07:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:07:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gbta.org\/?p=29344"},"modified":"2026-02-06T10:08:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:08:00","slug":"gbta-calls-for-balanced-approach-to-new-esta-requirements-citing-risks-to-global-business-travel-u-s-competitiveness-and-international-data-privacy-compliance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gbta.org\/pt\/gbta-calls-for-balanced-approach-to-new-esta-requirements-citing-risks-to-global-business-travel-u-s-competitiveness-and-international-data-privacy-compliance\/","title":{"rendered":"GBTA Calls for Balanced Approach to New ESTA Requirements, Citing Risks to Global Business Travel, U.S. Competitiveness, and International Data Privacy Compliance"},"content":{"rendered":"

GBTA files formal comments urging U.S. Customs and Border Protection to mitigate travel disruptions and the potential loss of high-value international business travel<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Associa\u00e7\u00e3o Global de Viagens de Neg\u00f3cios (GBTA<\/a>), the world\u2019s leading voice representing the $1.57 trillion global business travel and meetings industry, is urging U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to adopt a balanced and practical approach as it evaluates significant proposed changes to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) requirements. 

Hoje, GBTA filed formal comments<\/a> with CBP outlining the potential competitive, operational and economic consequences of the proposed revisions. Overly burdensome data collection measures and restrictive application processes could disrupt global business travel, undermine corporate mobility, and weaken the U.S.\u2019s position as a premier destination for international travel and meetings \u2500 notwithstanding the risk of negative impacts on business travelers and the organizations that depend on them. 

\u201cSecurity 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,\u201d said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA.  

\u201cA 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.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s At Risk<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the U.S. and beyond, business travel is central to global economic health, enabling trade, innovation, investment and person\u2011to\u2011person collaboration. GBTA members alone are estimated to directly manage more than USD $363 billion in annual business travel spend. Additionally, according to 2022 GBTA data, business travel had an impacto econ\u00f4mico<\/a> of $484 billion in the U.S. and supported six million American jobs. 

The proposed ESTA changes could introduce unintended consequences that ripple through the entire travel ecosystem such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n