Aussie tourism backs China free trade

A group representing Aussie tourism businesses have condemned the union campaigning against the China Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), as it threatens the booming industry that is tourism.

The group is made of up leading tourism and travel associations, including:

Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC),
Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF),
Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA)
Accommodation Association of Australia (AAoA),
Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), and
Restaurant and Catering Australia (R&CA)

The group’s have warned union campaigning risks severe damage to the future of Australia’s whopping $32.5 billion tourism export industry.

“Australia’s tourism industry has grown to become one of our strongest exports, with China now our highest spending visitor market,” ATEC’s managing director Peter Shelley said today.

“This is the market which kept Australian tourism strong throughout the GFC and is a cornerstone to our future success.”

“Our industry is very concerned about the short sighted focus of the union’s campaign which fails to recognise the importance of the ChAFTA to a broad range of export industries and the flow on benefits it will bring to the broader economy including jobs throughout the country.”

TTF’s chief executive officer Margy Osmond said agreements like ChAFTA were key to maintain Australia’s global competitiveness.

“International competition for the China market is fierce, with countries like the United States leading the charge in enabling greater access for Chinese visitors,” she said.

“We must remain competitive internationally. With Chinese international travel expected to grow by more than 5 per cent over the next 10 years, reaching nearly 97 million by 2023, we can’t afford to be left behind.”

AFTA’s ceo Jayson Westbury also commented that ChAFTA is critical to take Aussie tourism to its full potential.

“The ChAFTA represents a once in a generation opportunity for Australian travel agencies to expand into the world’s fastest growing and second largest travel market in the world which is forecast to be worth $1.8 trillion in 2030,” he said.

“Australian owned travel agencies could be in the unique position to independently establish local operations in China and therefore able to assist the Australian tourism industry to grow its share of the Chinese outbound market.

“We must maximise the opportunity that exists right now and not embracing the ChAFTA would be very short sighted.”

Chiming into the debate, AAoA’s ceo Richard Munro said tourism was integral to Australia’s future, both economically and employment-wise.

“China is one of the fastest growing and most important markets for the accommodation industry which is why our industry supports the swift finalisation of the ChAFTA,” Munro said.

“With many existing employment vacancies, the risk to local jobs in our industry in Australia is nil. The accommodation industry strongly supports Australia having a closer relationship with China.”

BECA’s chairman Matthew Hingerty said expanded trade with China would have a flow-on to the meetings, events, convention, exhibitions and incentive industry.

“China is already a significant contributor to Australia’s business events sector,” he urged.

“The business events sector supports thousands of small businesses, on top of the large convention and exhibition centres and providers, and to vote the Free Trade agreement with China down would be a significant blow.”

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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