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The post New data reveals increase in international business travel in the last six months appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily.

New data from Australia’s leading travel management provider for SMEs has uncovered a resurgence in international business travel six months on from the initial border reopening in November last year.

April saw the biggest growth in international flight bookings – a 135 per cent increase on November 2021 when the international border opened in NSW, and 75 per cent on January and February this year.

The data also reveals the most popular international destinations for travel and the industries that are travelling the most.

Corporate Traveller Australia, Flight Centre Travel Group’s flagship travel management provider for SMEs, analysed its travel bookings from 1 January 2022 – two months on from Australia’s initial international border reopening – to 1 May 2022.

During this period, international flight bookings across Australia’s states increased significantly. South Australia saw the largest increase in travel bookings departing from the state, at 204 per cent from January to end-April 2022.

Bookings out of WA increased by 135 per cent, while Victoria saw a 116 per cent increase in bookings, NSW by 109 per cent and Queensland 105 per cent.

Tom Walley, Global Managing Director at Corporate Traveller, says: “Despite the fact that full capacity for international flights isn’t slated to return until next year, we’re seeing a significant demand for international travel from SMEs.

“As the world reopens, businesses and travellers are forging international relationships again to help increase their sales, expand into new markets, and source new partnerships. This will help drive the recovery of many industries in Australia and help improve our local economy.”

Popular international travel destinations for businesses

The Corporate Traveller data also uncovered five of the top 10 international destinations businesses are travelling to the most, with North America proving the most popular region for travel.

Bookings to Canada have seen a significant increase six months on from the initial international border reopening in November: flight bookings grew by 277 per cent from January to end-April 2022.

Travel bookings to the UK increased by 73 per cent, while the United States also proved popular, with bookings soaring by 71 per cent. The United Arab Emirates also ranked highly, experiencing a growth in bookings by 56 per cent.

Bookings to Singapore have been slightly slower to take off, increasing by 40 per cent in the same period. Mr Walley believes this is likely due to the travel restrictions Singapore had in place until 1 April, whereby the country then removed its testing and quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers.

Tom says: “I anticipate international flight bookings will continue to soar month on month. As Singapore continues to relax its travel restrictions and requirements further, I expect SME travel bookings to catch up to other destinations.

“Travel to Europe is also likely to surge, as businesses look to combine their travel to the UK and Europe, potentially booking longer stays for their employees to make the most out of their travel and help drive the company’s sales and revenue.

“The introduction of direct flights to major cities such as New York and London in the next few years will also spur an increase in demand and advance flight bookings to these destinations.”

The industries travelling internationally the most

Mr Walley says that Corporate Traveller has also seen early green shoots of international travel in the last few months across several industries, namely essential industries that continued travelling domestically in the last two years.

International travel bookings between January to end-April 2022 show the finance industry has been travelling the most, increasing its bookings by 224 per cent.

Next is the medical industry, with a 103 per cent increase and then the construction industry, with a 60 per cent increase. Businesses in the consulting industry are also resuming international travel strongly, with bookings increasing by 50 per cent.

The technology and mining industries have similarly experienced a healthy international travel revival, at 46 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively.

“The finance industry saw the most impressive increase in travel, as a large part of the industry would have largely relied on international video meetings during border closures, and re-booted its travel programs this year,” Mr Walley said.

“We believe other industries such as medical and construction – while growing their travel healthily in the last few months – were already maintaining their essential travelling and, as such, saw smaller increases this year.

“Throughout the year we’re likely to see other industries rebound their travel, including manufacturing, IT, and education.

“Australia is also in the midst of a post-election transition to a new Government which is likely to see travel by Government employees increase significantly to continue to strengthen relationships with our international counterparts.”

The post New data reveals increase in international business travel in the last six months appeared first on Travel Daily.

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The post 1 Hotel San Francisco is now open appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily.

1 Hotels, the luxury lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature, has announced the opening of 1 Hotel San Francisco, the mission-driven luxury hospitality brand’s second California property and the City by the Bay’s newest, most thoughtfully designed eco-friendly urban refuge. Integrating the best of sustainable design and architecture with extraordinary comfort and an unrivaled level of service, the property’s 186 guest rooms and 14 suites capture panoramic views of the Bay Area’s rolling hills, sweeping fog, inspiring architecture, and stunning natural beauty.

Centrally located on the Embarcadero, directly across the street from the luminous San Francisco Bay, 1 Hotel San Francisco was developed in partnership with Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. The property provides easy access to all the best downtown offers—from dining to shopping to arts and culture. It neighbors the vibrant SoMa district, Chinatown, North Beach, Oracle Park, Chase Center, Coit Tower and the iconic Ferry Building.

“1 Hotel San Francisco is an inspiring example of what our brand stands for,” said 1 Hotels Founder and CEO & Chairman of Starwood Capital Group Barry Sternlicht. “It is a tangible extension of our vision and purpose: to place holistic wellness at the forefront of our operations for our guests, local communities, and the planet. This vibrant and eclectic city has long been at the forefront of driving sustainable change in architecture and design. Inspired by that rich history, our goal is to infuse an urban oasis with the natural beauty of the Northern California landscape and the sensibility of this dynamic community.”

“We are very excited to be partnering with the 1 Hotels team to bring a new level of service and luxury hospitality experience to San Francisco,” said Jon E. Bortz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. “Pebblebrook is committed to ensuring our hotels are operated in an environmentally sustainable manner, and that the sociocultural fabric of the communities in which our properties reside is celebrated. As a leader in luxury sustainability, 1 Hotel San Francisco will also set a new standard of excellence for its commitment to sustainable initiatives and the greater San Francisco community.”

The hotel pays homage to the regional environment throughout the urban oasis with an earth tone color palette, raw materials, and layered textures. The reclaimed wood lobby floor is fashioned from lumber salvaged from historic barns and industrial buildings. Sustainably sourced redwood salvaged from the original San Francisco Bay Bridge adorns elevator landings and corridors. Native greenery, exposed brick, warm terracotta accents, and rustic stones introduce elements of the natural world while referencing the city’s unique urban ecology. All hand-loomed rugs and carpets are created from natural plant fibers and recyclable wool. Other features, including the bar, latticework, and bar façade, are created from concrete, responsibly crafted by a local family-run business amid salvaged driftwood artwork.

Terrene, the indoor-outdoor café & lounge offering shareable plates, echoes the refinement and natural simplicity of the 1 Hotels brand. Drawing inspiration from the region’s renowned legacy of culinary innovation, its menu is rooted in an abundance of local, fresh, organic, and sustainably-sourced natural ingredients. Fresh ingredients for curated dishes and craft cocktails grow on the rooftop chef’s garden while beehives facilitate on-site honey production. Terrene, which will open to the public later this summer, will showcase a comprehensive selection of organic tequilas and mezcals, alongside an assortment of biodynamic wines from the Sonoma and Napa Valley regions and local craft beer and microbrews.

The property offers guests the opportunity to relax and recharge in a unique urban sanctuary. 1 Hotel’s holistic wellness philosophy aligns naturally with the brand’s core values—true wellbeing is achieved when the mind, body, and spirit are fully connected to one’s surrounding environment. On-site facilities include a full-service Bamford wellness spa rooted in 1 Hotels’ core mission of fostering a closer relationship with the natural world. The Field House is open 24/7, featuring state-of-the-art weight training and cardio equipment, including Peloton bikes for personalized experiences. Guests can enjoy the Audi Electric Vehicle Experience by taking advantage of the house car or test driving the Audi e-tron, the Official Electric Vehicle of 1 Hotel San Francisco, during their stay.

1 Hotel San Francisco provides versatile settings for all types of events, meetings, and celebrations with 5,074 sq. ft. of one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces. These include a 1,750 sq. ft. ballroom, boardroom, and outdoor terraces perched on the hotel’s upper floors, offering panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. Private events may also be held in Terrene, with a lounge and a large patio overlooking the historic Embarcadero.

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The post 66% of travel programmes don’t consider LGBTQ+-specific needs appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily.

One week into Pride Month 2022 and new data from a poll of  229 European travel managers conducted by Business Travel Show Europe has revealed that two thirds (66 per cent) of travel programmes do not provide special consideration for LGBTQ+ travellers. 

Over one quarter (26 per cent) of programmes do make provision for the LGBTQ+ community and a further 8 per cent plan to before the year is out but, when compared to other historically underrepresented groups, the LGBTQ+ community is the least well provided for. 

“According to the ONS, an estimated 2.7% of British people over 16 identified as LGB in 2019, an increase of 2.2% year on year. It’s estimated a further 200,000-500,000 people in the UK are trans. Yet, these communities are subject to a disproportionate amount of abuse and hate crime,” said BTN Group Executive Vice President Louis Magliaro. 

“Last month, Asher & Lyric Fergusson conducted 350 hours of research to create the LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index, which rates the best and worst 203 countries for LGBTQ+ travel in 2022. Many African, Middle Eastern and Caribbean countries feature among the worst, but you may be shocked to see the United States rates just 24th. This is why it’s so important that any company with travellers among the LGBTQ+ community is proactively protecting them and ensuring their duty of care for every second they are travelling under their watch.”

Business Travel Show Europe is hosting a masterclass – open to all – called Making diversity, equity and inclusion a reality in business travel. It runs Thursday 30 June at 11:30 and will be hosted by Carol Fergus, Director of Global Travel, Events and Ground Transportation – Fidelity International, and Steve Geneux, General Manager/Vice President Account Management & Operations – BCD Travel. 

“DEI is finally getting the attention it needs in corporate travel and now there are some fantastic examples of buyers and suppliers working together to achieve real change,” added Magliaro. 

“In this highly interactive session, let’s share what we can all do to make travel management professionals more diverse, plug talent gaps in the supply chain, and do right by our travellers from diverse backgrounds.”

Business Travel Show Europe takes place between 29-30 June 2022 at ExCeL London with complimentary entry, conference programme and networking opportunities to qualified travel managers, buyers and bookers. The hosted buyer programme is also accepting applications. 

The post 66% of travel programmes don’t consider LGBTQ+-specific needs appeared first on Travel Daily.

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