New data from Australia’s leading travel management provider for SMEs has revealed businesses are eager to return to the skies, with a 21 per cent increase in domestic and international flight bookings since early February.
The early data signals a resurgence in travel and a promising bounceback for Australia’s travel industry.
Corporate Traveller Australia, Flight Centre Travel Group’s travel management provider for SMEs, analysed its travel booking data from 7 February – the date the Federal Government announced the opening of Australia’s international border – to 23 March.
In that period alone, international flight bookings increased by 416 per cent, and domestic bookings by 18 per cent.
Despite the jump in international business travel bookings, the strong growth has come off a small base, given that most international corporate travel was off-limits before borders opened with the number of seats purchased at a low level when compared to pre-COVID numbers.
Tom Walley, Global Managing Director at Corporate Traveller, says: “Travel bookings are an indicator of business confidence and optimism – particularly advance bookings.
“This is a significant uptick in bookings in just a six-week period, and we anticipate demand will climb steadily throughout the year as we continue to track bookings.
“Hundreds of our customers who paused their travel during the pandemic are kickstarting their programs again, while essential industries that continued travelling, such as medical, mining and engineering, are planning to invest more in their travel this year.”
Corporate Traveller data also revealed that 59 per cent of its domestic and international flight bookings were made up to 10 days before travel, while 11 per cent were made at least four weeks in advance.
Tom says the proportion of bookings made weeks ahead of travel will increase throughout the year, as businesses grow more confident to plan trips without fear of cancellation, as they seek out opportunities to grow their business.
Domestic travel boosted after NSW, Victoria and Queensland opened their borders
In domestic business travel, Corporate Traveller found that, as the borders in NSW, Victoria and Queensland opened late last year, domestic travel increased, even with COVID case numbers high.
When the NSW-Victoria border opened on 4 November and up to 7 February, domestic bookings into NSW increased by 98 per cent, while bookings out went up by 148 per cent. Meanwhile, in Victoria, air travel out of the state increased by 227 per cent, and flights in went up by 137 per cent.
Bookings into and out of Queensland eclipsed other states: from 13 December (when the border opened) to 7 February, interstate air travel out of the state increased by 54 per cent, while arrival air traffic went up by 77 per cent.
Tom says: “The travel industry experienced a slow start to the year due to the surge in Omicron cases. However, the combination of open borders eased restrictions and a return to workplaces has given businesses and consumers a much-needed boost in confidence to travel.
“The recovery of the industry is in sight this year, as evidenced by the green shoots we’ve already seen in our flight bookings.”
Top domestic & international travel destinations
Corporate Traveller also ranked the top 10 domestic travel destinations that businesses booked in the same period. Melbourne topped the list, followed by major cities Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra.
Destinations within Queensland have proven popular: Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, and the Gold Coast also made it to the top 10 list.
“I expect Melbourne, Sydney, and Queensland to continue to be popular destinations for travel this year, while bookings to Western Australia will grow now the state has reopened.
“The top five international business travel destinations taken from Corporate Traveller’s booking data in the same period identified in its bookings are London, Singapore, Los Angeles, Dubai, and Port Moresby.
“With more international destinations easing restrictions and removing test requirements, businesses will seek to expand the list of locations they travel to this year.
“For instance, from 12 April I expect bookings into New Zealand to increase when it allows fully vaccinated Australians to enter the country without needing to quarantine or self-isolate.”
· In the six weeks to 23 March, international flight bookings increased by 416 per cent
· Domestic flight bookings increased by 18 per cent
· Five Queensland cities made it into the top 10 domestic travel destinations.
Edited by: Matthew Thomas
