AFTA plots national push

THE concerns of the Australian travel sector will be highlighted to govt through a “systematic, scalable and repeatable” program of engagement initiated by the new CEO of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA), Darren Rudd.

In his first trade media interview this morning, Rudd told Travel Daily the plan involves meetings with travel agents electorate by electorate, alongside their local members regardless of their political persuasion.

“Whether we like it or not, we’re a political organisation,” he said, with the initiative aiming to allow MPs to get to meet local travel agents and understand their hopes, frustrations and anxieties.

“When you aggregate that on scale, you’re bringing a theme of messaging and realism on behalf of our members’ interests back into the party rooms of both parties which will obviously help shape their respective policies,” Rudd said.

“It’s a sophisticated program but it’s a grass-roots approach.

“That’s not going to change things overnight but it brings a lot to the table,” he added.

On a more immediate front, Rudd has a series of meetings with senior cabinet ministers and shadow ministers planned, including a program which will see them visiting the AFTA office.

“The reality is, be it structural change, be it borders, be it regulatory change, be it industry restructuring, there has to be proximity to government on a systematic basis in a non-partisan way,” he said.

“What’s more we have to get the narrative package right number of travel agents, all the economic metrics, the impact, the tax paid,” Rudd added, with the campaign complementing and enhancing AFTA’s push for JobKeeper to be extended.