Business travel to the UK is growing – and the new ETA rules won’t change that
Planning a business trip to the UK in 2025? With a 5% rise in travel between Australia and the UK in the past quarter, our booking data shows strong demand for business trips - and the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system clearly isn’t slowing anyone down.
From 8 January 2025, visa-exempt travellers will need to apply for an ETA before arriving in the UK. But don’t worry - if you’ve travelled to the US using the ESTA system, you’re already familiar with the process. Australian travellers were able to start applying from 27 November, with the ETA fee set at just £10 (about AUD $20).
This new requirement is designed to improve border security and streamline travel processes. And while it’s all about ensuring a smoother experience at the airport, it does add a layer of planning.
For a bit of background on ETA systems, they’re being slowly introduced around the globe, with Australia among the first to bring it in back in 1996, followed by the US (2008), Canada (2015) and New Zealand (2019). The UK and EU are following suite in a bid to improve border security and streamline entry processes for visa-exempt travellers.
ETAs enable authorities to pre-screen inbound travellers against security databases before they arrive, track and trace their movements in and out of the country, ensure compliance with immigration laws, and prevent fraudulent documents through the inclusion of biometric data (with facial recognition included in the UK ETA).
Our Global Managing Director Tom Walley says this means travellers can expect to spend less time at airports, but more time planning.
He says: “Airports around the world are continuing to optimise productivity and passenger experience. For instance, even though Australia has an ETA in place, Sydney Airport’s T2 terminal is planning to cut passenger processing time with upgrades such as updated scanners and streamlined bag drop.
“While expected to improve border security processes, the new UK ETA changes the landscape of visa-free travel and requires more forward planning from travellers. Many frequent travellers will be well-versed in this sort of process with the USA ESTA that is in effect. While travel management companies such as ours always ensure customers comply with new policies, I urge businesses that organise their own travel to stay informed about changing entry requirements for their 2025 travel destinations. Travellers that have been accustomed to visa-free travel for years and who land in the
UK without the ETA will be turned away. From May 2025, visitors will face the same requirements in the European Union.”
The UK remains a top destination for Australian business travellers, second only to Singapore. Average airfares have also dropped by $200 over the past six months, making it even easier to prioritise UK-based meetings.
Tom says: “Our own booking data revealed a 5 per cent year on year growth in business travel to the UK in the September quarter. This growth has been driven largely by the finance and insurance industries, which account for one in five bookings to the UK, compared with one in six bookings last year. Other key industries such as IT, government, and health care have also ramped up travel, as companies continue to recognise the value of meeting face to face to cement partnerships, grow sales and manage teams. Our booking data indicates Australia-UK business relationships are growing, with companies prioritising in-person meetings and expansion opportunities in the UK.”
Our data also shows that Australian businesses have been taking slightly shorter, but more frequent international trips. To the UK, the average trip duration has decreased slightly from 19 days in 2023 to 17 days this year.
London Heathrow remains the dominant UK destination for Australian business travellers, with one in five trips departing Sydney and landing in Heathrow, followed by Melbourne-Heathrow at just under one in five trips making up that route, then Brisbane (making up one in 10 trips). After Heathrow, Manchester is the next most popular airport for Australian business arrivals, followed by Gatwick, Bermingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle.
