Hello to our Valued Clients,
As we look back, and with the holiday season upon us, it is fair to say the Travel Industry has had its share of trials and tribulations during 2024. But nevertheless, it was another exceptionally busy year for travel outside of Australia.
We had Qantas in the news again this year, more so when they were slugged with a $100 million fine from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) for misleading consumers. The carrier was found to have breached Australian Consumer Law after it offered and sold tickets for flights it planned to cancel, without promptly informing existing ticket holders.
Also in the news was Qatar and Virgin strengthening their partnership. After being rejected by the federal government to ramp up capacity in Australia a year earlier, Qatar Airways hatched a bold plan to shore up its presence in the local market through the back door. The buy-in will provide more choice and likely lower airfares for you, the travellers, in a highly inflationary environment.
Domestically, airfares continue to go upwards due to demand. But internationally, with Virgin entering the long-haul international market, some prices may fall. In November, the ACCC gave the airline the green light to start selling weekly return flights between Doha and Melbourne. The new services will start operating in June 2025, effectively challenging the dominance of Qantas/Emirates.
We also witnessed the demise of REX. Surely, it’s clear that we do not have the population in Australia to support 4 domestic airlines. Fortunately, REX Regional Services survived as they were a separate identity. The downfall appears to be the attempt to compete on the Gold Coast and Perth routes, and the purchasing of several new Aircraft.
Many of you ask us where everyone is travelling to. So, it’s time to unwrap the predicted travel trends for 2025.
And it’s looking very much like the 2024 trends with so many forward bookings for Europe, in particular Italy (remember it is the Jubilee Year in 2025 – so busy!) Puglia is the Hot destination as is Sicily, Sardinia, and Ischia.
Greece is also popular with many travellers swapping the overcrowded Santorini for the lesser-known villages of Paros and Milos. And Spain, Portugal, Croatia and Norway, as well as Hawaii, Mexico, Antarctica, Maldives, and Taipei. Travel to Japan is once again going crazy and not keeping up with the supply.
Small Group Tours are increasingly more sort-after, with the trend already noticeable. We forecast that 2025 will only continue this upward trajectory. All the factors point to growth, Aussie travellers want value for money more than ever; deeper, more highly-personalised experiences; and of course, great company. All of this can be achieved by Small Group Tour operators. We have many to recommend, presenting consumers with high-quality, experiences. Smaller Group Tours also have a better chance of being able to access unique destinations and provide a level of safety and comfort that larger group tours can’t deliver on.
And meanwhile, we have the emergence of AI technology with the Travel Industry becoming increasingly more enmeshed. No doubt, some travellers will take to AI to educate themselves and assist with their planning. We don’t see it as a threat, and expect more travellers will become savvy as they are with internet searching, before they come to us to unravel it all.
As you know, we are all well-travelled with multiple years of experience, and we’re always delighted to hear from you or welcome you to our office.
Reach out with any questions or assistance - you know we love to chat. Email us at mail@brightontravel.com.au or 9591 9591 and let us make your holiday dreams come true.
Stay well and happy planning for 2025,
Julie, Keiran & the Team.
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