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ATIA Canberra-bound in strong support for Australian Travel

ATIA CEO Dean Long will be appearing before the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, giving evidence in support of ATIA’s submission filed earlier in the year to the Inquiry into Australia’s Tourism and International Education sectors.

ATIA’s submission asked the Inquiry to build on previous commitments to expanding the visitor economy, as exemplified through the Government’s THRIVE 2030 Strategy. ATIA’s recommendations aim to promote competition across the entire travel and tourism sector, alongside world-leading practices to ensure an efficient and positive traveller experience.

While in Canberra, Dean and ATIA’s Director of Advocacy and Public Policy Ingrid Fraser will be meeting with a number of Parliamentarians, including: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government the Hon. Catherine King MP; Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator the Hon. Don Farrell; and Minister for Skills and Training the Hon. Brendan O’Connor MP.

Dean and Ingrid will also meet with the Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism The Hon. Kevin Hogan MP, and Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific the Hon. Michael McCormack MP, as well as with the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, Austrade, and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

This week’s advocacy follows from a very productive few weeks of representing the Australian travel industry, including appearing in front of the Select Committee on Bilateral Air Service Agreements and at the Aviation Green Paper Roundtables.

The Select Committee on Bilateral Air Service Agreements released its report last week calling for the Government to review its decision to not allow Qatar additional flights, along with 9 other recommendations. ATIA was pleased to see a number of these aligned with recommendations in ATIA’s submission, with it's evidence featured in the report.

ATIA recently attended the inaugural Roundtable run by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport in Melbourne, as well as a roundtable focused on competition and consumer protections. This allowed ATIA to provide direct representations to the Department, who are drafting the recommendations for consideration by Minister King. ATIA also attended a further roundtable for the visitor economy industry this week.

Quotes attributable to ATIA CEO Dean long

"We are looking forward to constructive meetings this week with Ministers King, Farrell, and O'Connor, where we will emphasise the pivotal role that travel plays in the nation's growth and prosperity. It is primarily through this advocacy in Canberra that we achieve positive change for our members and to the Australian travel industry as a whole."

“Our lobbying across Ministerial and Departmental bodies ensures that our members are being heard by Australia’s lawmakers. Speaking with one united voice is the strongest method to achieving the change we want to see within our industry.”

"Our recent advocacy efforts have been instrumental in shaping Australian travel policies for the better. The alignment of our recommendations with the Select Committee's report and our active involvement in roundtables are just some more examples of ATIA's influence in fostering a vibrant and competitive travel sector."