Insights

From greener travel to leaner travel, traveller centric programs and new-age event experiences, 2023 is set to bring fresh change and a few challenges to the business travel landscape.

If our Year in Review stats are anything to go by, 2022 was the year the business travel industry got its mojo back. The return to travel across the sector was as welcome as it was wonderful. Buckle up because we know it’s only going to get busier in 2023!

Recently FCM checked in with customers to see how we’re doing and to get the lowdown on our performance and customer satisfaction. Common themes among interviewees were their appreciation of FCM’s personalised service, expert knowledge, approachable travel managers, fast response times and support with training.

At Illuminate 2022, Flight Centre Travel Group revealed the action the company is taking to support its people, the community and the planet.

While the pandemic was arguably a good time to hunker down and lay low, Virgin Australia took the bold step to transform, from the ground up. The result has delivered new aircraft, strategic new initiatives and a refreshed offering for corporate travellers.

Corporate travel will be supercharged in 2023 - ignited by the rising demand for domestic and long-haul travel, more discerning travel buyers and TMCs willing to get their hands dirty (for their customers and the planet!)

FCM is on a mission to tackle corporate travel’s taboos. To get the industry talking about the areas of travel management that are a little prickly and usually avoided. And it just so happens that FESTIVE ROAD are too – that’s why we asked them to help us.

At Illuminate 2022 our parent company founder, Graham 'Skroo' Turner talked about the dark days of the pandemic and the group’s global corporate business returning to gross pre-COVID turnover ahead of schedule.

With hotel rates and corporate contacts stymied by two years of ad hoc travel, businesses want to know what lies ahead. At Illuminate, ACCOR’s Anne Gill addressed issues and trends in the hotel sector, while FCM Consulting revealed that airline capacity continues to recover.

For the lowdown on what’s going up, we asked respected macro economist and financial commentator, Paul Bloxham to share his insights at the recent Illuminate event in Sydney. From interest rates to the war in Ukraine, he explains the global impacts.

We’ve all been anxiously watching business travel trends and patterns for signs of recovery or a “return to normal.” However, as it’s been posited countless times before, we’re not going back to how it was…we’re going somewhere different.

Illuminate 2022 speakers give insight into future business and industry growth, the industry-wide focus on sustainability and the challenges at play for the corporate sector.