Corporate travellers’ stampede to Melbourne turns Australian Open into a busy boardroom

Melbourne Park has developed into the nation’s busiest surrogate boardroom as corporate leaders use the Australian Open tennis extravaganza to entertain clients, network and reward employees.

Melbourne Park has become the busiest surrogate boardroom in the country, as corporates leaders head to the Australian Open to woo clients, network and warm up for the year ahead.

Data collated by Flight Centre’s Corporate Traveller and FCM Travel shows the grand slam tournament has made Melbourne the top destination for business trips in January, receiving nearly double the volume of flight bookings to Sydney in the finals week.

Flight Centre Corporate chief operating officer Melissa Elf said the event had long been a corporate hospitality favourite and was growing in popularity.

In 2024, Corporate Traveller found the Open drew 46 per cent more business bookings than the AFL and NRL grand finals, NRL magic round and Bathurst 1000 combined.

“We see huge numbers flying to Melbourne for the event year on year, but this year looks like it’ll enter new territory as Melbourne nudges past the levels of corporate travel to Sydney,” Ms Elf said.

“We’ve still got the rest of the week of action left, so we’d only expect this to increase as the semi and final matches are locked in.”

Corporate Traveller is among the companies entertaining valued clients at the Australian Open, including SKF Australia’s Melanie Werbik, third from right.

She said finals tickets in particular were “very hot property” and companies were eager to secure seats as a reward for employees and valued clients.

“The matches have been extended this year to run over three weeks, giving corporates even more opportunity to get there to join in on the networking and courtside fun,” Ms Elf said.

Executives of the finance and insurance industry were most likely to be found entertaining clients courtside, accounting for the lion’s share of bookings.

“There’s a huge appeal in it being an international event that attracts the world’s best talent, being the first grand slam event of the year,” Ms Elf said.

Corporate Traveller is among those to host a group of globetrotting clients at the Open including Melanie Werbik from automotive manufacturing company SKF Australia.

Ms Werbik said it felt like a “thank you” from the travel booking firm for its business and was much appreciated.

Corporate boxes at the Australian Open can be lucrative when entertaining clients. Picture: Mark Stewart

“The whole event is great for team building; it’s supporting the Melbourne event’s economy and it’s just a bit of positivity at a time when the whole world could do with more positivity,” Ms Werbik said.

“It also puts into perspective the importance of corporate sponsorship. You can’t have an event like that without corporate backing. It’s a symbiotic relationship and hopefully some of the people going will recognise the role corporate Australia plays.”

Leisure bookings to Melbourne are also booming as a result of the Open. Flight Centre’s figures are up 8 per cent for the final weekend, compared with last year.

Flight Centre Travel Group global leisure chief executive James Kavanagh said major events travel was a hot trend for 2025.

“Customers are increasingly asking our travel experts to build itineraries around these shared moments and experiences,” Mr Kavanagh said.

“The Australian Open is the pinnacle of global sporting events so it’s no surprise both international and domestic leisure travellers are making their way to Melbourne in record numbers this year.”

Airfares to Melbourne were still available over the weekend from $279 with Qantas from Sydney, and $379 from Brisbane.

Virgin Australia fares started from $170 for travel on Sunday or $374 for a Saturday flight to Melbourne from Sydney.

Originally published as Corporate travellers’ stampede to Melbourne turns Australian Open into a busy boardroom