The important role of ATAS members in facilitating bookings of inbound travel, accommodation and all the related services which underpin Australia’s Tourism Industry deserves more Government recognition and support.
That’s the simple message of AFTA’s detailed submission to Federal Parliament’s Inquiry into Australia’s Tourism and International Education sectors.
The submission brings together AFTA’s established and long-term policy positions as well as our recent positions on the key areas of:
· Importance of outbound travel,
· Taxation (PMC),
· Requirements for additional skills funding,
· Importance of ATAS,
· Support of Smartraveller,
· Passenger facilitation,
· Airline carrier coordination,
· Airport slot usage,
· Importance of business travel,
· Climate change.
AFTA CEO Dean Long says: “The work of Australia’s travel agents, businesses and tour operators in facilitating the bookings of inbound and outbound travel, accommodation and related services which drive so much of the tourism industry in Australia deserves far more recognition.” “Travel is a sector undergoing rapid change and our members are proud to be leading that transformation.”
“As the peak body for the broad array of Australian travel professionals, AFTA is uniquely placed to comment on the challenges and opportunities for growth in tourism. AFTA strives to promote competition across the entire tourism sector, alongside world-leading practices to ensure an efficient and positive traveller experience.”
“This Parliamentary Inquiry is another important opportunity to build on Government’s previous commitments to expand the visitor economy, as exemplified through the THRIVE 2030 Strategy. We are proud to continue our work with Government in identifying the barriers to growth and helping to shape the future.”
AFTA provides the following comments on the tourism sector to enhance the post-pandemic recovery of the Australian economy:
THRIVE 2030 Priority 2: Improve data and insights
1. AFTA advocates that the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade recommend that the Treasurer, the Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, instruct the Productivity Commission to develop an analytical framework that illustrates inbound and outbound traveller interactions with different governments and regulatory services or systems.
THRIVE 2030 Priority 3: Grow a secure and resilient workforce
2. AFTA advocates for the inclusion of the Certificate III in Travel to be funded by all States and territories as part of the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development.
THRIVE 2030 Priority 4: Embrace leading-edge business practices
3. AFTA maintains that quarterly reporting by the ACCC is of critical importance to tracking the overall health of the domestic aviation sector. Reporting should be maintained until service levels are returned and complaints to the ACCC return to pre-covid levels.
4. AFTA maintains that authorisations of airline coordination agreements should be conditioned upon robust analysis of the benefits and detriments of the agreements.
5. AFTA supports a competitive market for airport slots that allows entry for increased capacity to put downward pressure on the prices of air tickets. Consideration should be given to increasing threshold for slot use to 90 per cent within 2 years and 95 per cent within 5 years.
6. AFTA supports the current review of the bilateral air services agreements. The review should enshrine core principles ensure Australian consumer outcomes of competition with the aim of lowering prices and improving services.
THRIVE 2030 Priority 5: Enhance visitor infrastructure
7. AFTA does not support any increase to the PMC as it would further increase fares in a time of higher-than-average fare pricing and undermine the competitiveness of Australia’s tourism industry.
8. AFTA supports the consideration of a long-term funding structure for the ongoing improvement of airports (domestic and international) and seaports to enhance visitor experience to produce productivity gains.
9. AFTA considers that the ETA app should be made available in languages other than English, that are relevant to ETA-eligible passport holders.
10. AFTA supports the implementation of a technology solution to offer GST refunds consistent with practices among international competitors that are creating more efficient experiences and improved economic outcomes.
11. AFTA supports the CLIA Australasia submission on the need for increased resources for the MTPC.
THRIVE 2030 Priority 6: Build markets and attract visitors
12. AFTA calls on the Government to appropriately recognise the critical importance of outbound travel and undertake stronger engagement with the travel sector to ensure that outbound travel is leveraged to the mutual benefit of inbound travel.
13. AFTA supports a holistic review of the visitor economy ecosystem to ensure a strong and sustainable recovery.
14. AFTA considers that a holistic analysis and pathway for the travel sector is critical for all participants in this sector for the next 30 years as the industry decarbonises.
15. AFTA recommends that the ongoing campaigns by government include Australian-based travel businesses for distribution arrangements and to be cautious of including non-Australian overseas companies to distribute holiday content to Australians looking to holiday in Australia.
16. The role of TMC’s must be acknowledged in government tourism strategies and the role of business travel in creating liveable cities.
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