AFTA View
By Dean Long, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Federation of Travel Agents
Governments around Australia have removed all domestic borders and if you’re double vaccinated, you can enter the country without the need to quarantine.
Congruently, there’s an increase in activity from people seeking to travel and, with our listed travel companies delivering an improved performance, we are hopeful that this is a positive sign for the second half of the year.
Even with these improving conditions, our unity of action is critical in ensuring we are provided the financial support to see us through the lasting impact of these restrictions.
We need to remain focused on a unified ask in what is an ever increasingly complicated political landscape and the hubris of a Federal Budget cycle.
The increasing blur of a Federal Election campaign which, while yet to officially be actioned, is well and truly in play and now there’s the global domino flow on effect of the invasion of Ukraine.
What hasn’t let up is our absolute determination at an AFTA level and member level to making sure every single parliamentarian at a Federal, State and Territory level gets the reality of the travel sector and the critical need for ongoing support.
AFTA’s submission to Government for $190 million in support via the implementation of a Travel Sector Skills Retention and Impaired Recovery Package as part of the Budget process is now available as a summary on the AFTA website.
The AFTA Board will be in Canberra in full force during Budget Week late March.
We also continue to maximise other opportunities and are grateful for News Corps’ ongoing support including the kick off this week of the Travel Industry Round Table in Adelaide hosted by The Advertiser, which brings together a powerful collective of local voices as part of a meeting with Finance Minister Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham and Tourism Minister the Hon Dan Tehan.
