THE drum beats are getting louder from the Federal Opposition to clamp down on leisure travel between Australia and Indonesia in the face of a foot-and-mouth outbreak (FMD), with the Albanese Government at this stage holding firm on its commitment to keep tourism open to popular destinations like Bali.
AFTA CEO Dean Long was doing his bit to warn against such a drastic measure this week, claiming that while Australia’s agricultural sector absolutely needs to be protected, this can be achieved instead through simple measures and educating the travelling public through travel agents.
“Closing the highly important Indonesian travel corridor at this stage would be a very blunt measure with massive economic and cultural damage for the Australian marketplace and the Australian Travel sector when there are still prevention measures being fully deployed,” Long said.
“Australia’s travel professionals are proud to be helping keep Australia safe from foot-and-mouth disease as we work together with the Federal Department of Agriculture…to raise awareness,” he added.
AFTA also held a webinar this week in conjunction with with the Federal Department of Agriculture for agents to ask any questions they feel is needed to fill knowledge gaps and to stay up-to-date with how best to advise travellers on minimising the risk of importing FMD after a holiday in Indonesia.
