Travel agents bid to organise passports

    Travel agents bid to organise passports

    Travel agents may soon have the power to also organise your passport, as the industry hopes to win the Federal Government’s tender for passport services when Australia Post’s hold-held contract expires next year.

    Australia Post have been processing the nation’s passports for the past 30 years, however this could soon change as the tender with the Federal Government expires in June 2017.

    The contract is worth about $120 million a year, according to The Australian.

    “Travel agencies say getting Australians to apply for passports in-store will give the industry a much-needed edge over online booking agencies that are proving tough competition,” The Australian reported.

    Luke Crawford from travel agency Travelstartup told The Australian, “it will definitely help drive people into travel agencies; it will bring travellers back to the travel agents.”

    Australia Post was expected to re-tender for the work, while pharmacists having also thrown their hat in the ring.

    Some 1500 pharmacies are believed to have signed up before expressions of interest with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade closed on 27 April.

    The new price of an Australian passport of $274 is expected to raise $173 million over four years.

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

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