UK: The number of corporate travellers in EMEA has almost doubled quarter-on-quarter, according to the latest research from travel management company FCM.
FCM EMEA data for the Q2 of 2021 showed a 93 per cent increase in travellers compared with Q1, with the majority of the uplift attributed to intra-European growth.
In Q2, the EMEA region continued to open up air travel, growing frequency and city pair volumes with an additional 53 million seats compared to Q1. The growth in demand has seen average ticket prices increase by 32 per cent on Q1.
With regards to accommodation the report said: “Q2 2021 saw the beginnings of recovery
and steady growth in hotel occupancy levels and demand across EMEA. The UK leads Europe with occupancy reaching 65 per cent at the end of May 2021, just two weeks after the opening of hotels to leisure travellers. This is up from a low of just 10 per cent occupancy in January 2021, as reported by STR. Advance bookings for September 2021
and beyond are only five per cent down on same period in 2019, as confidence is growing. In Q1 2021 85 per cent of bookings were made within seven days of arrival, compared to only 20 per cent in Q2.”
“As forecast rates have shown signs of recovery in Q2, six to eight per cent across the region overall compared to Q1. FCM global corporate data shows most capital cities are still significantly down in average corporate rate paid compared with 2019; London -34 per cent, Berlin -31 per cent and Johannesburg -34 per cent. However, regional cities and key leisure destinations have had strong demand reporting rate increases above 2019
levels; such as Dubai +45 per cent ,and Cornwall UK, up 50 per cent. Rates are forecast to continue to grow for the remainder of the year in line with the increase in demand from both leisure and business travellers,” the report added.
