Transport and hotel booking data from Flight Centre’s Corporate Traveller shows the Australian Open has attracted 725 per cent more bookings than to the Boxing Day Test in 2023.

The data showed there were 73 per cent more Australian Open bookings than to the AFL Grand Final and 56 per cent more than to the Melbourne Cup in 2023.

The Australian Open tennis runs in Melbourne from January 14-28 and Corporate Traveller forecasts there have been 21 per cent more Australian Open bookings in 2024 than in 2023.

Corporate Traveller’s Australian-based Global MD, Tom Walley, said the Australian Open is held during the holiday period when people are enjoying time with family and friends.

“Melbourne Park may not have the same seating capacity as Melbourne’s other three main sporting events at the MCG and Flemington, but it has everything else on its side to draw the biggest crowds,” he said.

“It attracts players from all over the world, too, as opposed to the AFL Grand Final, which features Australian athletes only, or the Boxing Day Test, which included only Pakistani and Australian teams in December.

“Many corporate travellers have booked fares well in advance to avoid holiday airfare price increases. 

“With Melbourne being home to several sporting events, business travellers can network and host their clients, while also offering tickets as an employee incentive.”

When it comes to international corporate bookings to the four main events, the Australian Open is also on top with Corporate Traveller recording 89 per cent more international bookings for Melbourne during the Australian Open than the Melbourne Cup, 46 per cent more than the AFL Grand Final and 9 per cent more than the Boxing Day Test. 

Among those arriving in Melbourne during the Australian Open this year, the highest proportion of bookings from a single city came from Sydney (29 per cent of total bookings), followed by Brisbane (16 per cent), Adelaide (9 per cent), Perth (9 per cent), Canberra (2 per cent), and outside of Australia (14 per cent).