With Australia’s travel agents dealing with unprecedented pressure, the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) says the coronavirus wage stimulus package (JobKeeper Payment) is another step in the right direction.
The travel sector is in a unique position due to the unprecedented shutdown of international and domestic travel. AFTA is working closely with Government and key decision makers across the business community to deliver even more support.
AFTA acknowledges the tremendous response and ongoing support for travel agents from suppliers, government, corporate Australia and the wider community.
Quotes attributable to Jayson Westbury, Chief Executive AFTA
While we are still unpacking the detail, the wage subsidy is definitely a very welcome step. The JobKeeper announcement is a nation saving measure and will enable Australian travel agents to maintain a connection where possible with their valued and experience staff.
We continue to lobby key decision makers at a government and departmental level as well as across the business community and travel sector to work out where we can unlock even more support for travel agents. This isn’t necessarily yet headline news but it’s work that is paying off with increased awareness of the unique challenges the travel sector faces.
We will continue to cover everything you need to know including government support, workplace law, compliance plus the practical steps you can and need to take. We know one of the best ways AFTA can support you through this is by helping you understand what you can do to navigate the path forward.
We have increased our webinar schedule to help keep you on top of the rising tsunami of information and work out what steps you can take right now. This includes a dedicated JobKeeper Payment Webinar this coming Thursday and a weekly update hosted by Jayson Westbury on Friday.
The freeze on Membership Fees for the next billing year is also, not surprisingly, a winner while our valued NTIA sponsors and the boarder travel community who participated in the nomination process have welcomed the decision to cancel NTIA 2020.
We’re working with media, both trade and mainstream, to showcase the incredible efforts so many agents are going to in order to get clients, and non-clients home.
These are times like nothing we have ever experienced. We are here for our members and we will get through this together.
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