Corporate travellers seize rare Easter–ANZAC window for bleisure breaks
The increasing trend of combining business trips with leisure, known as bleisure travel, is evident as one in three corporate travellers are extending their Easter–ANZAC trip to a minimum of seven nights, marking a 20% rise from the previous year. The data also indicates that the average trip duration has surged by 33% compared to 2023, extending from six to eight days during the Easter and ANZAC day periods.
The figures come from newly released booking data from Corporate Traveller, the flagship SME division of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), which demonstrates a clear uplift in longer business travel over the two-week Easter–ANZAC period.
The proximity of Easter and ANZAC Day this year provides an opportunity for travellers to optimize their time off, with Good Friday on April 18, Easter Monday on April 21, and ANZAC Day on April 25, allowing for an extended break. With strategic planning, Australians can utilize only three days of annual leave from April 22 to 25 to create a 10-day vacation period spanning from April 18 to 27, effectively bridging the gap between the Easter holidays and ANZAC Day.
“The opportunity to convert just three annual leave days into 10 consecutive days off is a compelling option for time-poor travellers,” says Tom Walley, Corporate Traveller’s Australian-based Global Managing Director. “Nevertheless, meticulous planning and adaptability with flight schedules are essential for maximizing the opportunities presented during this bustling travel season.”
In late April, the most sought-after domestic route is Melbourne–Perth, followed by Melbourne–Sydney, with Sydney–London leading the pack in long-haul bookings. Perth and Brisbane are leading domestic bleisure destinations, while London, Shanghai, Auckland, Jakarta, and New York rank highest for international trips of seven days or more.
Despite the anticipated increase in bookings for shorter work trips in the fortnight before Easter, Tom notes that the bleisure trend has firmly established itself.
Tom highlights the significant increase in the average length of corporate trips from five days in the first quarter to eight days during the Easter-ANZAC period, indicating a cultural shift in business travel. This shift reflects a post-pandemic reset where travelers now value wellness, flexibility, and the integration of work and leisure as the new standard.
Got a News Tip?
Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos.
More on Mencari
5 - Minute recap - for nighly bite-sized news around Australia and the world.
Podwires Daily - for providing news about audio trends and podcasts.
There’s a Glitch - updated tech news and scam and fraud trends
The Expert Interview - features expert interviews on current political and social issues in Australia and worldwide.
Viewpoint 360 - An analysis view based on evidence, produced in collaboration with 360Info
Mencari Banking - Get the latest banking news and financials across Australia and New Zealand
The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence.
We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure.
Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world.
Thanks to the support of our readers, we can continue to provide free reporting. If you can, please choose to support Mencari.
It only takes a minute to help us investigate fearlessly and expose lies and wrongdoing to hold power accountable. Thanks!