Westbury slams government

AFTA ceo Jayson Westbury has accused the Commonwealth Government of undervaluing the outbound travel sector and its contribution to the Australian national economy.

Speaking at Sat night’s National Travel Industry Awards gala dinner, Westbury said the government “continues to find ways to tax us into depression, but we continue to stand tall, we simply say ‘get out of our way and allow us to thrive and continue to grow despite what you may throw at us’.

“We continue to be successful in everything we do, without much help at all from them,” he said.

Westbury also defended the role of the travel agent, with the thriving industry continuing to distribute the overwhelming majority of international flights from Australia along with touring, cruise and other travel product.

“Travel agents aren’t going anywhere, and the sooner the analysts, journalists, futurists and doomsayers cotton onto this, we could all do so much better together,” he said.

“There is no question that the travel agent in Australia has a strong and prosperous future for decades to come, and I am proud to be the national representative of travel agents both in Australia and across the globe.

“Long live the travel agent,” he said, to a round of applause from the 1,400 attendees at the event, including Tourism and Travel Forum ceo Margy Osmond.