Business travel spend in Europe in 2023 has recovered to 96 pc of pre-pandemic levels
Netherlands capital Amsterdam and the iconic US metropolis New York are the most visited cities by European business travellers while in terms of countries, Germany and the United States turn out to be the most popular countries.
According to a recent survey BCD Travel 2023 Cities and Trends Report by Netherlands-based travel technology firm BCD Travel, business travel spend in Europe in 2023 has recovered to 96 pc of pre-pandemic levels.
Western Europe is clearly leading with the top 10 intra-European cities driven by the return of face-to-face meetings and events, and the rebound in international business travel capacity and volumes. It says that the rest of Europe is recovering slower, challenged by the war in Ukraine among other reasons.
The survey finds that in terms of top 10 business travel cities, the list of intercontinental cities is led by the US with seven cities in the top 10. Amsterdam, London in the United Kingdom and Frankfurt in Germany is top three for Europe. However, Dubai is performing very well in third place, planning to become the world’s most visited destination. Other cities that complete the top 10 are Singapore and Shanghai, says the survey.
Jonthan Kao
“While global business travel rebounds, the pace of recovery in China has been more gradual. Beijing has dropped off the list from its 2019 position as the eighth most visited intercontinental city for European business travellers, and Shanghai has fallen from second to 10th place. Despite this, we are encouraged by the recent visa exemptions for travellers from certain European countries and overall, more lenient visa procedures. We anticipate a significant resurgence in business travel to China in 2024, evidenced by the early increase in travel volumes we’ve seen in the first two months of 2024,” says Jonathan Kao, Managing Director of North Asia.
The report says that Germany is the most visited European country, followed by the United Kingdom which dropped from first place in 2019 to second in 2023. The UK remains a top destination for business travel. The Netherlands, France and Italy follow in third, fourth and fifth place, respectively.
According to the report, the US is leading the intercontinental ranking, followed by the United Arab Emirates, India and China. This demonstrates the strong trading relationship between Europe and Asia. Canada closes the ranking in fifth place.
The most frequently travelled routes for intercontinental flights from Europe depart from London and Frankfurt, together accounting for eight positions in the top 10. Amsterdam and Paris complete the list of European departure hubs in ninth and 10th place, adds the statement.
It says that the top 10 arrival hubs for intercontinental routes are largely dominated by the US, with New York City being the most popular. Shanghai is the only APAC arrival hub in the list.
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