The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) filed formal comments with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on February 6, 2026, urging the agency to reconsider its proposed overhaul of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The association, which represents organizations managing $363 billion in annual corporate travel spending, called for "a more balanced approach" to the sweeping changes.
The filing came just days before the 60-day public comment period closed on February 9, marking one of the most prominent industry responses to the December 2025 Federal Register proposal.
Industry Survey Paints Stark Picture
GBTA conducted a survey of 571 travel professionals across 40 countries in January 2026 to gauge the industry's reaction. The results were overwhelmingly negative:
- 78% expressed concern about the proposed changes
- 65% said the reforms would complicate travel management
- 64% believed sending staff to the US would become more complex
- 63% anticipated increased business costs
- 61% feared reduced employee willingness to travel to the US
- 43% said their companies would hold meetings outside the US instead
- 29% expected short-term decreases in US business travel
Among European professionals specifically, 67% noted that employees would be reluctant to disclose personal data under the new requirements.
Billions at Stake
GBTA warned that the proposed changes could result in significant economic losses for the United States. Business travel generated $484 billion in economic impact in the US in 2022 and supports approximately 6 million American jobs.
GBTA president and CEO Suzanne Neufang stated that CBP should adopt a balanced approach that limits data collection to fields with demonstrable security utility, warning that the stricter entry requirements could lead to potential losses in the billions in travel-related revenue.
GDPR Conflict Raises Legal Concerns
A key concern raised by GBTA is the conflict between the proposed ESTA requirements and the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Requiring travelers to disclose years of social media history, family member details, and biometric data creates legal complications for multinational companies that must comply with both US entry requirements and European data protection laws.
This dual compliance burden could push companies to avoid US-bound travel altogether rather than navigate the conflicting regulatory frameworks.
Mobile-Only System Draws Criticism
GBTA also took aim at CBP's plan to decommission the ESTA website and move exclusively to the CBP mobile application. The association warned this creates accessibility challenges and conflicts with corporate security protocols that often restrict app installations on company devices. Centralized corporate booking systems would also be disrupted by a mobile-only platform.
What GBTA Recommends
In its formal comments, GBTA outlined several recommendations for CBP:
- Reconsider the breadth of data collection, limiting it to fields with clear security value
- Preserve alternative application channels beyond the mobile app
- Avoid mandatory social media and biometric data collection unless narrowly justified
- Ensure efficient and reliable processing systems to prevent travel disruptions
- Balance national security objectives with legitimate travel facilitation
Growing Chorus of Opposition
GBTA is not alone in its concerns. The proposed ESTA changes have drawn widespread criticism from privacy advocates, travel industry groups, and international business organizations during the comment period. The combination of expanded data requirements, biometric collection, and platform changes has raised questions about whether the US risks losing its position as a preferred destination for international business events and corporate meetings.
CBP will now review all submitted comments before deciding whether to proceed with implementation of the proposed changes.
