A travel grant could prove transformational for an SME seeking to grow their business in 2023 through the benefits of increased travel and face-to-face contact with customers and business partners.
Flight Centre Business Travel’s Corporate Travel Grant is now open for applications with over $40,000 in travel prizes available to successful grant applicants. Entries close 5pm AEST, Friday 31 March 2023.
Flight Centre Business Travel’s Global Leader Cameron Harris said with travellers feeling more confident about travel and airlines responding with increased capacity, face-to-face meetings are being preferred over virtual.
“In 2023 travellers are taking advantage of opportunities to grow their businesses and meet in person,” Mr Harris said.
“With many businesses now preparing travel budgets for the next financial year as travel increases, many are finding it hugely beneficial to partner with Flight Centre Business Travel to ensure they extract maximum value out of their corporate travel spend.
“Accordingly, we are awarding one business a Corporate Travel Grant, valued at over $30,000 to help support their growth and success, whilst four runners-up will share in $10,000 worth of travel credit.”
Mr Harris said Flight Centre Business Travel is expecting travel and accommodation costs to level out once demand and supply is normalised. An emerging trend the company has also identified in 2023 is an increased focus on sustainability in corporate travel.
One of the judges on this year’s Corporate Travel Grant has provided some timely advice for those wishing to apply and try to achieve their business goals sooner.
Tonia Wilson, Virgin Australia National Account Manager and a Corporate Travel Grant judge in 2019 and 2023 said, “As a judge on the Corporate Travel Grant panel representing Virgin Australia, I’m looking for a pitch that captures my attention from the get-go.
“I am interested in how other businesses have achieved business success, through being customer and people focused, innovating to deliver value and customer success. I want to get to know the people behind the product.
“My advice is to bring your passion and personality to your pitch. Tell us why your business is unique, be confident and most of all, have fun!”
To apply for the grant, SMEs need to simply submit a one to two-minute video outlining what travel means to their business, and how winning the $30,000 Corporate Travel Grant will help them.
Flight Centre Business Travel will then select the top five entries and fly two representatives from each finalist business to its Global Head Office in Brisbane, to present their pitch in more detail to the selection panel.
Four runners up will be awarded a share of $10,000 in Virgin Australia travel credit and two Velocity Gold memberships each.
Q1. What does travel mean to your business?
Q2. What will this travel grant allow you to do?
Read now: Business travel transformational for SMEs
At Flight Centre Business Travel we recognise the pressures that are placed on business people every day. When you work with us you can take off with the confidence that you’ve got a dedicated Travel Manager working behind the scenes to get you the best corporate fares and rates on your flights and accommodation, saving you both time and money.
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