2026 ABA Marketplace Business Impact Report | American Bus Association

2026 ABA Marketplace Business Impact Report

An independent assessment of the business value generated through ABA’s flagship Marketplace event

ABA hosts the annual Marketplace business development event, which brings together tour operators, destinations, attractions, lodging providers, and travel partners from across North America. Marketplace functions as the business engine of bus and group travel, connecting the companies that design tours with the destinations and suppliers that deliver them.

The ABA Marketplace 2026 Business Impact Report evaluates the total business activity driven by the event.

2026 ABA Marketplace Business Impact Report Findings

A cover image for the 2026 ABA Marketplace Business Impact Report. The right side of the cover shows the meeting center from the event, where dozens of meeting tables are set up with white table cloths. Each table includes at least two representatives from motorcoach and group travel companies speaking with Marketplace attendees. The left side of the cover states the report title: "ABA Marketplace: The Business Engine of Bus and Group Travel." The report is conducted by Tourism Economics and prepared for the American Bus Association.

Executive Summary

  • About the Report: The 2026 ABA Marketplace: The Business Engine of Bus and Group Travel Business Impact Report evaluates the volume of business transacted at the event and the pipeline of future activity resulting from Marketplace participation. The report quantifies business booked directly at Marketplace, anticipated future business resulting from Marketplace, and total transaction volume generated across participating firms.

  • Key Highlights:
    • ABA Marketplace continues to deliver substantial, measurable business value for participating firms across the motorcoach and group travel industries.
      • Total Marketplace transaction volume: $124.9 million in total sales-based transaction activity. This estimated total reflects seller-reported business only and avoids double-counting buyer-reported purchases.
      • Confirmed business activity: $49 million in business booked directly at Marketplace, as reported by participating firms, representing immediate, realized economic impact attributable to the event.
      • Future business pipeline: $75.9 million in projected future business tied to Marketplace meetings. This reflects the long-term value of appointment-based engagement and relationship development.
    • ABA Marketplace garners high attendee satisfaction and likelihood to return.
      • 88% of firms reported that the event met or exceeded their expectations for generating business.
      • When asked about their likelihood to re-attend on a 0-10 scale:
        • First-time attendees averaged 8.7
        • Repeat attendees averaged 8.9
        • Overall re-attendance likelihood was 8.8

Citation

Methodology

  • Following ABA Marketplace, an online survey was administered to attending firms to measure business activity attributable to event participation. A total of 328 firms completed the survey, representing a 25% response rate among the 1,308 unique firms that attended Marketplace 2026.
  • Reported sales and purchase values were winsorized at the 95th percentile to limit the influence of extreme outliers while preserving the overall distribution of reported activity. Blank responses were treated as missing data, while reported zeros were retained as valid responses.

Related Resources

Download the Full Report (PDF)

The American Bus Association serves a thriving industry that provides nearly 600 million passenger trips annually on charters, tours, scheduled service, and shuttles. Membership in ABA includes motorcoach operators, tour operators, tourism-related organizations, and products and service suppliers.

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