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Business travel creeps back
Business travel is performing better than expected with demand for flights and rail travel on the increase, according to Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT).
"We had predicted the year to be flat, but we have seen business travel coming back," said director of public sector and industry affairs Nigel Turner.
Overall air and rail transactions were up eight per cent for the first half of 2010; transatlantic flights were up 30 per cent over the first half of last year and long-haul travel was up 22 per cent, but domestic flight transactions were down 5 per cent.
Not only are people flying again, but they are also moving back into the premium cabins, said CWT. In the second quarter of 2010, its business class bookings were up 40 per cent and long-haul it was up 33 per cent.
Premium economy is also attracting more demand with bookings through CWT up 41 per cent.
While domestic and European ticket prices have fallen slightly, fares on some long-haul routes have seen double-digit increases with those on flights to the Far East rising as much as a third.
Transatlantic and longhaul travellers are also paying more for their hotel stays, said CWT. New York average nightly room rate was up 17 per cent in the second quarter.
Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong have also saw double digit growth in average nightly room rates.
Domestically, hotel rates in are flat or down with the exception of London. In the first half of 2010, London average nightly room rate was up 6 per cent.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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