AFTA gets behind insurance campaign

AFTA gets behind insurance campaign
By admin


The Australian Federation of Travel Agents has commended a new government campaign which aims to remind Australians of the risks of travelling overseas while uninsured.

Chief executive Jayson Westbury told Travel Today the industry body would be supporting the campaign where it could, through notifying members and media. He confirmed that plans for the campaign were discussed “at length” through a Smartraveller consultative committee of which AFTA is a part.

The nationwide campaign includes electronic advertisements and postcards featuring Erin Langworthy, a young Australian who fell 360 feet into a river in Zambia after her bungee cord broke.

It highlights the role Langworthy’s insurance played in ensuring she received treatment in a high quality hospital that would have totalled around $50,000 in medical bills.

It also includes the launch of a new Smartraveller iPhone app which offers travel advice and the ability to register travel plans without an internet connection, along with a Facebook page.

Foreign minister Bob Carr yesterday launched the $2.6 million campaign, referring to figures which showed that Australian embassies and consulates assist more than 14,000 Australian families “in distress” each year.

“Australians without travel insurance can be risking poor local hospital care and high medical bills if they are sick or injured while overseas,” he said.

“The message of this campaign is to take care overseas and take out insurance before you leave.”

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