FCM Travel, the large-market division of Flight Centre Travel Group, announced the launch of its Emerging Markets Report, which reveals the fastest-growing secondary business travel markets across the US.
According to the report, Greensboro, N.C., ranked as the top emerging market, with flight bookings increasing 27.6% year over year to outpace all other cities, followed by Columbus, Ohio (up 18.4%), and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (up 14.8%). Greensboro’s rise, said the report, reflects its position as a cost-efficient regional hub with strong East Coast accessibility, a diversified industry landscape and expanding corporate activity across the Piedmont Triad region.
The report analyzed thousands of flight bookings from FCM clients in 2025 and ranked US cities based on year-over-year growth in booking volume. The rankings excluded the country’s 20 largest markets to spotlight the 10 secondary cities that recorded the strongest percentage growth in flight bookings.
In addition to the rankings, the report provides a comprehensive profile of each city, supported by insights from FCM travel managers. Each city profile includes information on population, climate, key industries, cultural identity, hotel infrastructure, airport connectivity, airline service, transportation options and the major events that business travelers should consider when planning visits.
Billy McDonough, president, FCM Americas, said, “Through the launch of our Emerging Markets Report, we aim to help organizations understand the increasing role of secondary destinations in corporate travel programs.” In addition to serving as attractive alternatives to traditional business travel hubs, he said, “many of these markets are emerging as strategic destinations in their own right, with cities like Greensboro, Columbus and Fort Lauderdale offering a compelling combination of accessibility, value and economic potential.”
McDonough added, “These destinations can also provide meaningful cost advantages, enabling organizations to maximize travel budgets without sacrificing connectivity as they navigate continued economic uncertainty and rising costs across the industry.”
The remainder of the top emerging markets in 2025 were: Indianapolis (up 10.9%), San Antonio (up 6.1%), Tampa Bay (up 4.5%), Sacramento (up 3.9%), Santa Ana, Calif. (up 3.3%), Salt Lake City (up 3%) and Hartford, Conn. (up 1.5%).
