Business travel to the UK is growing – and the new ETA rules won’t change that

With its own data revealing an uplift in business travel to the UK last quarter (July–September 2024), Corporate Traveller, the flagship SME division of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), is urging businesses – particularly those who book their own travel – to be aware of the UK’s new ETA requirement for visa-exempt travellers from 8 January 2025. Corporate Traveller forecasts the new rules are unlikely to make any dent in the travel growth rate to the UK but will require forward planning.

Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) systems are being introduced around the globe, with Australia among the first to introduce it in 1996, followed by the US (2008), Canada (2015) and New Zealand (2019).[1] Next year, the UK and EU will follow suite in a bid to improve border security and streamline entry processes for visa-exempt travellers. ETAs enable authorities to pre-screen inbound travellers against security databases before they arrive, track and trace their movements in and out of the country, ensure compliance with immigration laws, and prevent fraudulent documents through the inclusion of biometric data (with facial recognition included in the UK ETA).

The UK will introduce its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system on 8 January, with the EU to follow in May 2025.[2] Australian travellers can begin to apply for the ETA to the UK, from 27 November, with the fee set at £10 (AUD$20). Corporate Traveller Global Managing Director Tom Walley says travellers can expect to spend less time at airports, but more time planning beforehand.

Corporate Traveller data shows that the UK has been Australia’s second-largest international business travel destination in 2024, following Singapore.

More affordable airfares are adding to the momentum. Tom says:

Corporate Traveller’s data shows that Australian businesses have been taking slightly shorter, but more frequent international trips. To the UK, the average trip duration has decreased slightly from 19 days in 2023 to 17 days this year.

London Heathrow remains the dominant UK destination for Australian business travellers, with one in five trips departing Sydney and landing in Heathrow, followed by Melbourne-Heathrow at just under one in five trips making up that route, then Brisbane (making up one in 10 trips). After Heathrow, Manchester is the next most popular airport for Australian business arrivals, followed by Gatwick, Bermingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle.

ENDS

About Corporate Traveller

Corporate Traveller is an award-winning business travel management and solutions provider for SMEs, operating in six global markets. Established in 1993 as Flight Centre Travel Group’s first corporate brand, Corporate Traveller has offered its personalised service, expert tailored advice, dedicated travel consultants, and advanced booking technology to more than 6500 Australian business customers. Offering an all-in-one innovative booking platform with the support of a personal travel consultant, Corporate Traveller makes travel simpler, faster, and easier for businesses. With a wide range of solutions available, Corporate Traveller can cater for simple requirements through to the most complex SME business travel management needs. For more information or to book a business consultation, visit corporatetraveller.com.au

[1] Electronic Travel Authorisation: impact assessment (accessible) – GOV.UK

[2] EU Releases One-Year Timeline of ETIAS Launch