Taskforce urges certainty

TOURISM and travel companies in Australia are being “unfairly asked to keep their businesses alive and plan for the future based on media speculation and noncommittal statements by government as to when international travel will recommence”.

That’s one of the conclusions of a new Tourism Restart Plan released on Sat by the Tourism Restart Taskforce (TD 29 Apr), which has identified a clear restart timetable as one of the key priorities to help the industry plan for the future.

Now that the country is at Step 3 of the National Cabinet’s plan to recover from COVID-19, there is a need for greater clarity, the report says.

“Travel and tourism is focused on advanced bookings and long lead times between planning and the dates of travel,” it adds, urging the Government to allow for lead time in announcing when international border restrictions would be eased.

“The aspiration of the taskforce is to progressively open to markets where there are bilateral health agreements,” with the Taskforce urging further openings by Sep this year.

“Most importantly the Federal Government is encouraged to provide to industry an understanding of what the expectation is for source and destination countries to be included in travel bans being lifted, and under what conditions,” the report urges.

The Australian Federation of Travel Agents backed the plan, highlighting key recommendations including the need to establish a trans-Tasman bubble in the coming weeks, and the necessity for JobKeeper or similar to be extended for those businesses directly impacted or completely shut down by Government restrictions.

Other priorities include domestic border openings and more easing of restrictions.