The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has slammed a report by KPMG that claims the travel agent segment is in notable decline.
Labelling the findings as “misleading and disconnected”, ATIA CEO Dean Long disputed KPMG’s conclusion that travel agents represent the biggest decline of any major occupation in Australia, which the report primarily attributed to the impact of online commerce.
One of Long’s major gripes with the methodology of KPMG’s findings is the reliance on Aug 2021 Census data, which he said reflected the sector at the height of COVID-19 lockdowns and international border closures.
At that time, ATIA noted the industry had suffered revenue losses exceeding 90%, and more than a third of the workforce had been terminated as international travel was suddenly halted.
“KPMG’s report unfortunately fails to reflect the devastating impact of COVID on our sector,” Long lamented.
“The Census…reflected a time when the borders were closed and the industry was in survival mode, given this, the bulk of the bookings made through our members are for international travel.”
Long also called out gaps in the usage of Jobs and Skills Australia data from May 2024, which he said ignored accompanying forecasts that the sector would grow by 4.3% over the next five years, and by nearly 10% within the next decade.
More than 70% of international air sales and over 90% of corporate travel bookings are still made through agents, a point ATIA argues proves that travel professionals are not only relevant, but central to how Australians still travel in 2025. While acknowledging the shortage of agents is still being felt today, Long clarified that demand for travel professionals is stronger than ever before.
“We are in the golden age of travel professionals, as more Australians, many of whom were burnt by COVID travel experiences, turn to expert advisors for complex travel needs and crisis support,” he said.
