AFTA asks for JobKeeper extension

The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) has now shared the interim results of its Travelsectorkeeper survey with tourism minister Dan Tehan, as well as briefing key government members.

Of the 1513 entity respondents as at Saturday 20 February 2021:

• 67 per cent are SME retail leisure agencies;
• 94 per cent are dealing with a decline in revenue of 90 per cent (with 99 per cent experiencing at least a 70 per cent decline);
• 80 per cent of the workforce of travel agents businesses are women;
• 81 per cent of all travel businesses’ work is helping customers with Covid-impacted travel;
• 43 per cent believe they are unlikely to return to profit until 2023.

AFTA’s ask, which is also reinforced in the pre-Budget submission, continues to be:

1. The evolution and extension of JobKeeper in a tailored way until three months after the international border is liberated;
2. The allocation of any funds outstanding from the first round of the Covid-19 Consumer Travel Support Program via a second program round with an amended payment scale to address issues already identified.