Corporate is strong, with FCM Travel securing a pipeline of account wins totalling almost AUD$400 million, Asia returning to modest profitability, and the business globally delivering further productivity gains. First-quarter total transaction value (TTV) increased by nearly seven per cent.

Leisure TTV is also growing at a healthy rate. Still, the temporary travel pattern shifts that emerged late last year continue to impact year-on-year profit comparisons, which is in line with our expectations. We are, however, starting to see signs of recovery, which is a positive signal ahead of our peak second-half trading periods.

For the full year, FCTG is targeting an underlying profit before tax of AUD$305 million–AUD$340 million, a 5.5%–17.6% uplift on FY25.

Comments by Chris Galanty, Global Corporate CEO, Flight Centre Travel Group:

“Global business travel continues to face challenges, from airline disruptions to geopolitical tensions, including the USA government shutdown. In addition, Africa continues to face persistent inflationary pressures, inconsistent exchange rates, rising visa costs and escalating global uncertainty. It is at times like this that FCTG’s corporate brands FCM Travel and Corporate Traveller demonstrate the vital nature of expert travel management for businesses.

“Having a trusted travel management company spearheaded by people and tech has never been more crucial. Our corporate brands are not just booking services – they’re essential risk management partners always providing real-time support and strategic guidance.

“Our customers have benefited from immediate assistance during disruptions, with dedicated consultants proactively managing itinerary changes and providing duty-of-care services that have proven invaluable.

“Corporate Traveller thrives with its dedicated consultant model, particularly resonating with small and medium enterprises seeking personalised service alongside technological efficiency. 

“FCM Travel continues to strengthen its position serving larger organisations with complex travel needs, expanding its client base by securing significant new accounts throughout the year. 

“The business is leveraging its proprietary technology suite to deliver customised solutions to sophisticated travel programmes, while making substantial progress with New Distribution Capability implementation.

“We’re at the forefront of implementing artificial intelligence tech that enhances service delivery while improving operational efficiency. AI now intelligently routes inbound requests to the appropriate consultants, improving response times and saving thousands of consultant hours. 

“Business travel remains essential to prosperity, even in uncertain times. Our role is to ensure that when our customers’ people need to travel – whether to close deals, grow relationships, or drive innovation – they can with confidence knowing they have expert support at every stage.”

***Ends***

For more information about FCM Travel, or to interview FCM Travel General Manager South Africa, Bonnie Smith, call Lori Cohen on 079 641 4965 or email lori@bigambitions.co.za.

FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL GROUP SOUTH AFRICA

Flight Centre Travel Group (Pty) Ltd (“FCTG”) in South Africa is wholly owned by Flight Centre Travel Group Limited – an Australian based international travel company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, with a market cap of AU$3.34 Billion and a current share price of AU$16.75 as of 30 April 2021. FCTG has two level 1 B-BBEE subsidiaries: FCTG Corporate and FCM Travel Solutions. FCTG consists of two leading brands: Flight Centre and Corporate Traveller. FCTG has been recognized as one of Deloitte’s Best Companies to Work for in South Africa for 14 consecutive years.

Table of Contents

JOHANNESBURG – In April 2024, when 18 months of rain fell on Dubai in a single day, more than 1,200 flights had to be cancelled, stranding over 250,000 travellers in terminals. Late last year, Cyclone Ditwah wreaked havoc in Sri Lanka during peak tourist season, forcing mass evacuations of foreign visitors. Right now, conflict in the Middle East continues to ground flights and drive disruption.

In such situations, it’s not only leisure travellers affected, but business travellers suddenly stranded without a backup plan or a clear timeline for getting home. For their employers, the crisis boils down to: Where, exactly, are our people … and how can we keep them safe?

The International SOS Risk Outlook 2026 report reveals that most companies cannot answer that question confidently. Surveying over 860 global leaders and risk specialists, the report confirms a dangerous “preparedness gap” is widening.

The International SOS, the world’s leading health and security risk services company which provides worldwide assistance for medical, security and travel emergencies, says 57% of leaders say new risks are emerging faster than they can manage. Three-quarters (74%) say the window for critical decisions is shrinking. And only 35% feel confident they can mobilise teams quickly when it counts.

If an organisation cannot locate its staff in the first hour of a disaster, it isn’t managing risk.

“More and more companies are waking up to the importance of risk management,” says Mummy Mafojane, General Manager of FCM South Africa. “In our experience, the key is being proactive – investing in the right systems before a crisis hits, so you have the tools and support in place. This includes a centralised booking system, real-time safety dashboards and 24/7 travel support.”

What can go wrong, often does

The other problem is that risks no longer arrive one at a time. The report found that 49% of leaders now see security, health and operational risks as tightly linked, often hitting simultaneously. A flood is also a health risk, a security concern if civil unrest follows, and a digital risk if systems go down at the same time. Airspace closures have turned straightforward routes into last-minute detours and long delays. And geopolitical instability tops the worry list, cited by 47% of respondents, ahead of cybercrime at 27%.

Meanwhile, the staff members absorbing these risks are exhausted: living in this “permacrisis”, they are worn down by inflation, conflict, climate anxiety and constant volatility. Anxiety and stress remain the most common reasons for medical assistance among business travellers, yet only 17% of companies rank mental health as a top-three concern. That disconnect between what employees are experiencing and what companies are planning for is a liability.

What’s the plan?

“Travel risk management is not about getting your paperwork in order,” says Mafojane. “It’s about knowing, in the moment, where your people are and what they’re facing. When disruption hits, you need a plan: who is affected, what is happening, and how you’ll get them to safety.”

That starts with visibility. If employees are booking through a mix of online tools, airline apps and personal credit cards, the company has a disconnected view of their travel plans. But if they used a travel management company (TMC), those bookings would “live” on one system.

A capable TMC should offer real-time alerts, covering severe weather, unrest, strikes, health outbreaks and cyber incidents, which are matched against current and upcoming itineraries.

Who takes ownership?

Technology only works if someone owns the outcome. Too often, nobody quite owns travel risk. Security assumes HR has it covered. HR thinks it’s an issue for the line manager. Finance worries about cost, legal worries about liability, and by the time it reaches the C-suite, it’s already a crisis.

“Clear ownership matters more than any single tool,” says Mafojane. “Someone has to be accountable to the risk register, the approvals and the escalation chain.”

ISO 31030:2021, the first international standard for business travel risk management, provides a useful framework for pre-trip assessments, traveller briefings, emergency response and post-incident support, including mental health. It’s voluntary, but regulators, insurers and courts are increasingly asking whether companies can demonstrate they’ve thought these issues through.

The standard assumes, of course, that the company knows the trip is happening. Increasingly, it doesn’t. The “hush trip”, during which an employee is quietly working from another country without telling their employer, is one of the fastest-growing blind spots in business travel. When that person calls for help during a trip the company didn’t know about, there is no policy to fall back on.

“Updating your travel policies to reflect today’s trends and realities and conducting regular risk audits are both important. They go hand in hand,” says Mafojane. “Disruption isn’t a question of if, but when. The companies that weather it best are the ones that already know where their people are, and what to do next.”

**ends**

For more information about FCM Travel call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.

About FCM Travel:

FCM Travel, the flagship corporate travel brand at Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), is the business travel partner of choice for large national, multinational and global corporations. We are an award-winning global corporate travel management company ranking as one of the top five by size around the world. We operate a global network which spans more than 100 countries, employing over 6000 people.

FCM are transforming the business of travel through our empowered and accountable people who deliver 24/7 service and are available either online or offline. Leveraging FCM’s negotiating strength and supplier relationships in conjunction with our tailored business travel programs, our expertise delivers more for our clients where it matters most to them.

Visit us at www.fcmtravel.co.za

Issued by: Big Ambitions

Contact: Sonnette Fourie

Tel: +27 81 072 2869

Email: sonnette@bigambitions.co.za

The launch comes amid wider uncertainty and material change across the managed travel sector.

Though travel manager confidence remains high (recent Institute of Travel Management research found that 84 per cent of business travel professionals feel their roles are secure), many are facing increasing pressure to explain the value of travel in business terms.

Change in corporate travel is being driven by advances in AI and automation, as well as ongoing economic and geopolitical pressures. Senior leaders are therefore applying greater scrutiny to costs, risks and measurable returns.

“Automation and accessible data can give the impression that managed travel is straightforward and easily reduced to price,” said Jo Lloyd, Global Head of Customer Management and Consulting at FCM.

“The real value lies in the oversight, risk management and judgments that sit behind the transactions.”

The Travel Impact Index is designed to move the conversation beyond operational reporting and cost alone. It provides a practical framework for assessing programme strength across governance, risk management, data visibility, supplier strategy and stakeholder engagement.

The underlying assessment framework is built around structured questions that explore how programmes support business priorities, manage exposure, influence behaviour and enable outcomes.

Rather than focusing solely on savings, the Index encourages organisations to examine:

• What risk and corporate liabilities have been avoided
• What traveller friction has been removed
• What behaviour has changed
• What business outcomes travel has enabled.

Many travel leaders recognise the importance of demonstrating programme value, yet cost remains a dominant metric in board-level conversations. FCM Consulting believes this reflects a lack of practical tools and language rather than a lack of value.

“If the business understands the value of the travel programme, it will invest in it,” Lloyd added. If it does not, it will not. The Travel Impact Index helps travel leaders present their programme in terms that senior decision-makers recognise.”

The Travel Impact Index is available globally. More information can be found at: https://www.fcmtravel.com/en-za/travel-impact-index

ENDS

Media contact

Sonnette Fourie

Account Director – Big Ambitions on behalf of the Flight Centre Travel Group – Corporate Brands

sonnette@bigambitions.co.za

+27 81 072 2869 (South Africa)