WTTC urges Australia to join "global stage"
Australia has become too introspective and risks missing out on Asia’s travel boom, the leader of the World Travel and Tourism Council has warned.
David Scowsill, WTTC president and chief executive, urged Australian businesses to become more active on the global stage and “get out on their bikes and make business happen”.
If it fails to do so, opportunities may be lost, he said.
The comments came as he conceded that Australia was one of the least supportive countries of the WTTC, which looks to tackle key issues and raise awareness of the economic value of the industry.
Its membership includes more than 100 industry leaders from across the globe and its inaugural Asia Summit in Seoul this week attracted 500 delegates, many of them key figures in the Asian industry.
But Australia has just one member – newly-recruited Crown Hotels.
The WTTC is now taking steps to increase that pitiful number with senior board members revealing they even hope to stage the 2015 annual global summit in Australia.
Membership negotiations are underway with Qantas, Virgin Australia, Sydney Airport and NRMA Travel.
In trying to explain Australia’s apparent lack of interest in the WTTC, Scowsill told Travel Today that Australia may have become too “inward looking” and has neglected the need to appear on the global stage and network internationally.
“I have a long association with travel and tourism in Australia as I structured the joint venture with Qantas when I worked for British Airways,” he said. “And my experience over the last few years is that Australia has become more inward looking than it has in the past. It’s a personal view that may be off the mark but I think there’s a real need for Australia to step back on to the global stage.
“Tourism Australia does a great job in marketing Australia but there is so much more that can be done. More people from Australian travel businesses need to get out on their bikes and go and make business happen. The potential is incredible.”
It even emerged that former Prime Minister Julia Gillard declined to meet with senior WTTC members as they sought to get her endorsement of the ‘Golden Book’, a campaign designed to encourage a commitment from heads of state to promote tourism.
The Travel Corporation president and chief executive, and WTTC vice chairman Brett Tollman, said closer involvement with the WTTC will expose Australia to major global hotel groups and open the door for investment opportunities. He praised the work and involvement of Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy but said more is needed.
“The more members we can get on board from Australia the more awareness and engagement there is on the global stage,” he said. “It will get some of the great hotel companies thinking more about Australia which frankly they are not today.”
Productive talks were held in South Korea at the summit with NRMA chief executive Tony Stuart while discussions have taken place with Virgin Australia chief executive John Borghetti and Qantas officials, Tollman said.
Tollman, whose company joined the WTTC in 1996, said membership provides networking opportunities on a global stage and offers a “big picture” view of the industry and its issues.
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