FCM, the flagship business travel arm of Flight Centre Travel Group, has highlighted the importance of navigating the post-pandemic travel landscape at the CAPA Australia Pacific 2021 Aviation Summit as businesses prepare to take to the skies again in 2022.
The hybrid event being held across 7-8 December in Sydney marks CAPA’s long-awaited return to in-person events, drawing key leaders and decision-makers from across the industry.
Giving his keynote speech to an in-person audience for the first time in more than two years, FCM Head of Account Management Australia Renos Rologas said it was a pleasure to be in front of a live audience again, and that travel management companies were more vital than ever for businesses.
“We’ve been talking about the green shoots in the travel industry for a long time and being stood here in front of so many people shows those green shoots really are flourishing now – and we’re now seeing that flowing through to enquiries and bookings,” Mr Rologas said.
“We will still face challenges in 2022 in our industry but that’s why having a travel management company by your side is so vital – having an expert at the end of the phone is like gold dust when there are changes to rules, regulations, and restrictions across the globe.
“A key aim for us next year is to ensure our customers, prospects and people throughout the wider travel community have the confidence to travel safely with concerns at a minimum, and knowing they have someone to turn to if plans do change.
“Being travel-ready is incredibly important and you can be ahead of the game with good preparation. That all starts with how ready you and your people are. Have you updated your policy? Do you have a traveller wellbeing process? These are key pre-trip considerations.
“We’re now looking at an omnichannel world where a traveller can be contacted in multiple ways, a world where you need to know the ins and outs of travel insurance policies and inclusions, and a world where there will be more of a focus than ever on safety and wellbeing.
“Having said all that – that’s what we’re here for – to help you navigate this new way of travelling. Different doesn’t have to be worse, and in many ways, there have been several improvements made that will make travel better, safer, and more hygienic than it has ever been.
“We have invested heavily in new technology so you have our expertise available at the touch of a button, we have formed partnerships with a PCR testing company so booking can be seamless, and we’ve worked hard in being aligned with the policies of our suppliers.
“Travellers can have confidence that our passion is their travel and we have spent the last two years ensuring we’re in the position to ensure you can navigate that post-pandemic travel landscape.”
“Earlier this year we surveyed our CAPA Members and the wider travel community, and an overwhelming 85 per cent of responders urged us to return to live, in-person events,” said CAPA Managing Director, Derek Sadubin.
“In response to this, and in reflecting our commitment to continue to support the global aviation industry through its deepest crisis, we are delighted to finally be able to return to in-person events with the CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit.
“Virtual events have served us well and kept us connected in a time of separation, but nothing can truly replicate the buzz of a CAPA Summit, so we are so pleased to welcome 300+ aviation and travel industry representatives to the Summit and discuss the outlook for 2022 and beyond.”
