Business travel from the UK to the United Arab Emirates has exceeded pre-pandemic 2019 levels for two consecutive weeks, new data reveals.
However, analysis for the Business Travel Association found more widely domestic and international corporate travel reduced by 39.54% compared to the same period in 2019.
This resulted in an overall £2.41 billion GDP loss associated to domestic and international travel compared to the same week in February 2019, despite the improvement in travel to the Gulf region.
The data shows lower levels of business travel in the second week of February to:
- Ireland cost UK GDP £505 million
- Germany cost UK GDP £503 million
- France cost UK GDP £311 million
- US cost UK GDP £251 million, and
- Singapore cost UK GDP £183 million
Yet corporate confidence is continuing to increase, according to the BTA.
Data shows that domestic and international business travel departures from the UK increased by 239.29% compared to the same week in 2021.
New bookings for domestic and international destinations rose by 339.29% compared to the same week in 2021.