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Tourism Sector can’t be a political football

 
7 February 2022: Peak industry body, the Accommodation Association, today highlighted the critical need for a consistent approach on the resumption of international travel, warning Tourism can not be a political football.
 
The Accommodation Association, along with many other peak bodies, welcomes the focus on re-opening Australia to international tourists but has urged Government at all levels to implement a re-opening strategy which provides the certainty to allow us to plan and the confidence for people to travel again without being hit with sudden changes to entry requirements.
 
Quotes attributable to Richard Munro, CEO Accommodation Association
“We of course welcome the news that the focus is on re-opening Australia to international visitors and we do look forward to seeing more of the detail about how and when this is going to happen.”
 
“The Federal Government has already announced multiple incentives and support measures to bolster Tourism while just about every State and Territory Government continues to roll out similar support. We appreciate that and are grateful but what this sector needs is a plan which everyone agrees with and supports.”
 
“Tourism and the many many businesses including our hotels, motels and accommodation providers and the people we employ need to have a commitment from Government at all levels on this. Tourism can not be a political football and we can’t afford to invest in ramping up for a return of International travellers only to have borders shut, quarantine requirements change or be re-introduced or vaccination frameworks to be amended. Put bluntly, the political point scoring has to end.”
 
“Consumer, corporate and sector confidence has taken a continual beating through all of this and we can’t afford anything that further impacts that. The widespread labor losses of up to 35% alongside the sector-deep loss of skills has hit almost every hotel and motel in the country. For those hotels heavily hit by the international travel ban which are predominantly reliant on international travellers and in Sydney and Melbourne’s CBD, it’s even more important that these arrangements stick and that, if they invest in restocking and bringing people back, they can rely on the commitments that travellers will be able to return to Australia.”
 
Media contact: 
Accommodation Association LJ Loch 0488 038 555 or ljloch@alphaconsulting.global
 

About the Accommodation Association
The Accommodation Association represents over 80% of all known accommodation providers from small regional parks, caravan parks, serviced apartments and resorts through to the largest hotel groups in the world including Accor, Hilton, Wyndham Destinations and IHG.
 
The Accommodation Association is a registered organisation at Fair Work, established in 1969. 
 
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