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Australia’s travel sector has been given the signal to board what many hope will be a long-overdue flight toward modern training standards. The Australian Travel Careers Council (ATCC) has officially begun its comprehensive review of the Certificate III in Travel, the cornerstone qualification for newcomers to the industry.

The move follows two intensive 90-minute briefings for prospective members of the Travel Skills Taskforce, held on 27 October and 6 November. The sessions mark the first leg of a reform process designed to bring the curriculum out of the 2010s and into a post-pandemic reality.

Industry Steps Up

Nearly twenty organisations, among them AAT Kings, Amadeus, Avis Budget Group, Corporate Travel Management, Cover-More, Helloworld Business Travel, IATA, Magellan Travel Group, Phil Hoffmann Travel, Spencer Travel Group, Expedia TAAP, and CLIA, have taken seats at the table. They join ATCC directors Barry Mayo, Dr David Beirman, and Jenny Lorkin, as well as representatives from TAFE NSW and UTS.

It’s a formidable list, a coalition of the willing, determined to ensure the next generation of travel advisors can handle both human customers and digital tools with equal confidence.

‘A Structured and Inclusive Process’

Rick Myatt

“This review must be a structured and inclusive process,” said Rick Myatt, ATCC’s chief executive, during the initial briefing. “Following these early sessions, we’ll begin collecting input from all participants and invite others from across the sector to join us, so that the final qualification reflects the real skills the industry now demands.”

He’s not exaggerating the need. The current Certificate III has been updated only once in more than a decade, a period in which artificial intelligence, online booking systems, and shifting consumer expectations have redrawn the industry’s map.

Kellie Stanbury, the ATCC’s Executive Officer for Travel Skills Taskforce activities, said the review would also focus on rebuilding enthusiasm for travel careers after the workforce exodus of recent years. “We need a qualification that excites people about travel again, one that makes them feel they’re part of something dynamic, global and evolving,” she said.

Momentum Builds

Kellie Stanbury

The initiative follows Myatt’s presentation to the Association of Travel Management Companies (ATMC) in Melbourne on 24 October, which drew an enthusiastic reception. ATCC will continue to widen consultation, seeking views from smaller agencies, education providers and tourism bodies to ensure a national approach.

The taskforce’s remit extends beyond classroom content. Plans include strengthening links between education and employers, integrating sustainability and technology into training, and ensuring future graduates can speak the modern language of travel —one that combines service and data fluency.

‘Updating the Itinerary’

One seasoned consultant quipped that the industry has been running on the same training manual since travellers still asked for paper itineraries. The new review, then, isn’t just an academic exercise; it’s an attempt to recalibrate an industry that thrives on adaptation.

As Myatt put it, “The travel sector thrives on innovation, relationships and adaptability. Our training must do the same.”

Those wishing to help shape the new curriculum can reach:

Rick Myatt – [email protected]
Kellie Stanbury – [email protected]

Further details are available at www.travelcareerscouncil.com.au.

A Forward Journey

If the sector succeeds, Australia’s next generation of travel professionals will graduate with skills that match the times, fluent in tech, customer care and sustainable practice. And if it doesn’t? Well, let’s say the industry may find itself stranded at the departure gate while others take off.

Either way, the ATCC’s review is a journey worth watching, one that could redefine how Australians learn to navigate the world, one itinerary at a time.