Flight Centre profits take off
Flight Centre has upgraded its full-year profit guidance, indicating it has not been affected by a slowdown in consumer spending.
Flight Centre attributed the better earnings to its “geographic diversity” and stronger results from its UK and US operations.
“It is no longer correct to think of (Flight Centre) as purely an Australian-based retail travel agency,” said managing director Graham Turner.
Expansion will continue, with the company expecting to grow its global sales force by between 8-10%, or about 1,000 new sales consultants
“The UK and USA are obvious opportunities because of their size and the investment we have made in developing our business in recent years,” Turner said.
The travel agency expects its profit before tax for the year to June 30 to be between AU$285 million and AU$290 million, as much as 18% higher than the previous year’s underlying profit before tax.
Turner said that while Flight Centre did not experience the sales slowdown that retailers in some discretionary sectors experienced during 2011/12, “it is fair to say that economic uncertainty in some markets has created a more cautious leisure travel customer”.
by Ian Jarrett
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt