As Middle East travel cautiously recovers, Australian businesses need to be risk-ready

FCM Travel and Corporate Traveller, Flight Centre Travel Group’s corporate arm, have been actively helping enterprises and SMEs locally and globally build travel frameworks that keep critical journeys moving, protect their people, and hold up under pressure.

The stakes are particularly high for Australian businesses as the conflict has disrupted hubs through which more than 31% of all Europe-to-Australasia passengers ordinarily travel — a concentration that leaves Australian companies more exposed than almost any other market globally.

The gradual return of major Gulf carriers brings further encouragement. Qatar Airways has announced its summer schedule to more than 160 global destinations as part of its phased restoration, while Emirates has restored 96% of its global network — a significant milestone for Australian travellers who rely heavily on both carriers for long-haul connectivity.

Nevertheless, the Australian Government’s advisory notes the security situation across the region could still change rapidly and with little warning, and travellers and businesses are encouraged to monitor Smartraveller updates regularly.

With schedules continuing to rebuild and the risk environment remaining fluid, the importance of having experienced travel management in place has never been clearer.
 

Why travel risk management matters more in FY27

Global research by International SOS (ISOS) underscores the urgency, with 57% of business leaders saying new risks are emerging faster than their organisations can manage them. While nearly three in four (74%) say the window for making critical decisions is shrinking, only 35% are confident they can mobilise their teams rapidly when circumstances change.

Meanwhile, seven in ten corporate travel buyers say the travel management function becomes more important during periods of disruption, with responsibilities moving closer to leadership, risk management, and enterprise decision-making.

"The end of financial year is the right moment for businesses to pressure-test their travel programs," said Melissa Elf, Global COO of FCM Travel and Corporate Traveller.

"The businesses that will move fastest in FY27 are those that treat travel risk management as a strategic function — not something that only gets attention when things go wrong.

“Business travel remains a key driver of growth, even through disruption. The question businesses should be asking is not how much they are spending on travel, but whether their program is built for the world they are operating in,” Elf added.
 

Five questions to ask before FY27

As businesses finalise their travel programs for the new financial year, FCM Travel recommends reviewing arrangements against the following:

• Where does my traveller's flight actually fly over? Overflight paths, not just stopovers, now carry risk that many travel policies have not historically accounted for.
   
• What are the fare conditions on every booking? Flexible fares and clear rebooking policies are essential while airline schedules remain subject to rapid change.
   
• Does my traveller hold valid transit visas for alternative routing countries? Rerouting through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, or other Asian hubs may require documentation that was not part of the original itinerary.
   
• Does our travel insurance policy cover conflict-related disruption? Many standard policies do not. This should be verified before travel, not after a cancellation.
   
• Do I know where my travellers are at all times? Real-time traveller tracking and clear check-in protocols are a baseline duty of care requirement in the current environment.

"Business travel is one of the most powerful tools Australian companies have for building relationships, closing deals, and staying competitive," Elf said.

"FY27 is an opportunity to make sure that tool is working as hard as it should — with the right people, the right flexibility, and the right protections built in from the start."