31-Jul-2025 12:37 PM
Virgin Australia CEO: 'I see no evidence that the desire to travel is going down in any way'
Virgin Australia CEO David Emerson, speaking at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific, stated (31-Jul-2025) "I see no evidence that the desire to travel is going down in any way, if anything it is going up". Mr Emerson stated: "Consumers are prioritising experience, that once in a lifetime trip, and I don't see any change in that". Mr Emerson noted: "Demand has grown with, or faster, than GDP for decades and that will be true in 10 years".
Background ✨
Virgin Australia CFO Race Strauss stated that Australians were prioritising domestic travel due to geopolitical issues, and emphasised the importance of delivering great service and managing costs in the domestic market1. Virgin Australia's CEO and other industry leaders have also previously commented that travel intent remains strong despite cost of living pressures, and that experience-based travel demand has continued to grow2 3.