With Australia’s travel sector in hard lockdown for 600 days and no relief likely until international travel normalises in 2022 (if indeed it normalizes then), AFTA has renewed its plea for an ongoing financial lifeline, pointing out that 15,000 jobs have already been lost.
The federation says continuing support until well into 2022 is needed desperately to save the remaining 30,000 jobs and 3000 travel agencies.
“Australia’s travel agents are a critical support for consumers navigating Covid lockdowns and border shutdowns,” AFTA Chair Tom Manwaring said yesterday.
He stressed that travel agents had successfully secured $8 billion worth of credits and refunds for Covid-impacted travel from suppliers (hotels, airlines, tour operators, cruise lines etc) on behalf of their customers – with $2 billion still outstanding.
“As so many consumers have discovered, travel agents are essential and even important given the challenges of Covid. Without a travel agent, you really are on your own.
“Australia’s travel agents and businesses have been battling on for 600 days, continuing to provide the support consumers have needed so desperately during Covid. Our revenues fell from the day the international travel ban was imposed 18 months ago and for 600 days we have been slammed with revenue falls of 90% plus.
“A third of our sector, 15000 jobs, have been wiped out. We need help and we need it until international travel normalises, so we are here as employers and to support travelling Australians. It’s simply not the case that everything returns to normal when the international travel ban is lifted. There will be a lag before flight capacity lifts and prices normalise and until then, we need support well into 2022.”
AFTA chair Tom Manwaring
Lest we forget:
- Before the onslaught of Covid-19, the industry had experienced year-on-year growth of 11% and maintained growth of 7.25% over the past five years.
- In 2018-19, Australians spent over $46 Billion on international travel, representing the largest import sector of the Australian economy
- 70% of this international travel was booked through Australian travel agents
- Each year travel agents collect taxes worth $1 Billion and contribute $28 Billion nationally to the economy
- 71% of the sector are women
Edited by Peter Needham
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