AFTA pushes for PMC funds

THE Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) is formalising a Federal Budget submission urging that half of the money collected through the Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) should be diverted into a fund to help travel agents.

The $60 per pax tax last year brought in more than $1.2b in revenue to the govt - several times the estimated cost of running border and customs operations.

AFTA Chairman Tom Manwaring cited a recent survey of members which indicated about half of the industry was expected to close its doors by the end of the year (TD 10 Jun), with the loss of about 20,000 jobs.

“We have all been through 26 weeks of hell, business-wise, so I think some cash needs to come into the industry as a specific support package,” he told the ABC.

AFTA CEO Darren Rudd also confirmed to Travel Daily that the Federation was seeking “incremental relief for our sector given its unique impact as a result of COVID-19”.

MEANWHILE AFTA is also making a skills funding submission based on its Micro Credentials training program (TD 23 Jun), which went live this morning.

Available to all AFTA/ATAS members, the online platform aims to support business owners and their staff to upskill and cross-skill in priority areas, as well as validating skills already acquired on the job through heavily discounted training.

More than 60 courses are now available, in partnership with Learning Vault, and all are aligned to a unit within the nationally recognised Vocational Education and Training (VET) Qualification Framework - see afta.com.au.