AFTA: more help needed

THE Australian Federation of Travel Agents has welcomed the announcement of a $10,000 per shop grant for travel agents and tour arrangement service providers with multiple offices (TD yesterday), but is continuing to push for a third round of the COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support program.

AFTA Chairman Tom Manwaring thanked Tourism Minister Dan Tehan for the funding, which has been made available to redress the issue of groups with multiple stores trading under a single ABN, meaning they could only access a single payment for their businesses in each of the earlier rounds of the grants scheme.

“AFTA welcomes this expansion of the Government’s support in recognition of our members who employ travel experts across multiple shop fronts and outlets.

“We have been working hard, and will continue to do so to secure the ongoing support for the entire sector that we so badly need,” Manwaring said.

“This inclusion of multi locations is part of that...AFTA continues to work closely with Government to press the need for extension of this critical support into Round 3 of the grant and beyond for all members,” he said.

Manwaring noted that even when international travel resumes there will be an economic hangover of several months for the travel sector, well into 2022 before revenue streams return.