Corporate Travel Analysis Reports For Europe/MEA

Autodesk, a global leader in design and make technology - with expertise across architecture, engineering, construction, design, manufacturing media, education, and entertainment - was recognised for the environmental credentials of its corporate travel programme at CAPA - Centre for Aviation's annual Environmental Sustainability Awards for Excellence in Singapore.

The San Francisco-headquartered company was awarded the Corporate Travel Environmental Sustainability Programme of the Year 2022 Award in Asia at a gala dinner at the Capella, attended by over 150 of the region's aviation luminaries and part of the 2022 CAPA Asia Aviation Summit.

CAPA, part of the Aviation Week Network, also recognised Wizz Air, Cebu Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Volaris and Etihad Airways in the airline section of the awards with Central and Eastern European low-cost carrier Wizz Air recognised for its ambitious, multi-pronged sustainability strategy as the Global Environmental Sustainability Airline/Airline Group of the Year.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed the opening of Grand Hyatt Shenzhou Peninsula in Wanning, Hainan. The 262-room oceanfront resort offers a luxurious tropical escape amidst the spectacular natural beauty of Hainan's Shenzhou Peninsula, a natural treasure located off the east coast of Hainan Island with a tropical climate, fresh air, golden beaches and crystal-clear waters.

Inflation, easing restrictions, pent-up demand, staffing shortages, higher energy and food costs. These are all factors that point to higher hotel rates in 2023 across the board, according to a new report from American Express Global Business Travel (GBT).

As travel recovered across much of the world in 2022, largely driven by leisure, hotels have been able to increase their prices. While hotels can continue to benefit in 2023 from pent-up demand for in-person meetings and events, the global economic outlook is unlikely to allow them to achieve rate rises on the same scale as seen last year, notes the report.

The iconic InterContinental Sydney has been reborn following an extensive renovation programme. Located in Sydney's Treasury building of 1851, the landmark hotel has undergone a comprehensive $120 million transformation, which included a redesign of its guestrooms, public spaces, wellness areas, club lounge, restaurants and bars.

Accor has opened the first property under its MGallery brand of boutique hotels in South Korea's capital Seoul. The 196-room Hotel Naru Seoul - M Gallery Ambassador is located in Seoul's Mapo-gu district, and offers views of both the city's skyline and the Han River.

The hospitality group has recently expanded its MGallery portfolio in Australia with a landmark 400th property across Australia and the Pacific, while other brands are growing in Morocco and Mexico, among other recent announcements.

As the travel industry ramps up following the pandemic, new research from Collinson of Priority Pass members sheds light on the way frequent flyers see travel now and in the future, especially as the industry looks to reshape and recover after running with limited services during the pandemic.

The research also provides insight into the unique relationships people have with travel, why they want to get away, and just how critical it is for rest and relaxation as well as nurturing relationships. But ultimately, it shows that, in spite of tighter wallets worldwide, travel will continue to be robust given the many other things they would rather give up in order to preserve their travel budgets.

Accor will add Sofitel and Emblems properties within the Hann Lux resort in the Philippines, while its has opened a flagship hotel under its budget Ibis Styles brand in Thailand's capital. The growth follows the recent debut of the MGallery brand in the Philippines and the first Grand Mercure property in Solo, Indonesia.

ACI Asia-Pacific, the voice of airport operators in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, notes that travel recovery in Asia Pacific and the Middle East benefited from "strong pent up demand" in 2Q2022. The easing of travel protocols is what is ultimately driving the recovery of traffic with countries including Australia, Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand all withdrawing restrictions on international air travel during the period.

Minor Hotels has revealed it will bring its first Avani hotel to the Australian market, with a new-build property planned for Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Opening to guests in 2025, Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel will enjoy a sought-after central location on the corner of Brisbane Rd and First Avenue, just moments from the Mooloolaba beach foreshore.

Although 2022 is presenting a number of global and regional challenges - the war in Ukraine, the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the rising cost of living and hikes in jet fuel prices - demand for international travel, after taking a small dip in February, is increasing, reports the metasearch engine and travel agency Skyscanner in its May-2022 release of its latest Horizons insight.

The report crunches three months of data from the start of the year to provide insight into the latest traveller behaviours and patterns - and how they compare to pre-pandemic.

While it is clear that a full recovery is some way off, there's certainly positive momentum in many parts of the world, and changing traveller trends.