The latest two-week lockdown has been another blow to the industry and has reinforced the need for government assistance said the ACCI after a meeting on Thursday (2 December) as part of the Tourism Restart Taskforce.
“Most businesses that are primarily reliant on international tourist arrivals have recorded more than a 60 per cent fall in turnover. They immediately need access to financial support, and at any time when the international borders are closed,” Dr Jeremy Johnson, chair of the Tourism Restart Taskforce said.
“When there are lockdowns, the impact on business is devastating and obvious to the whole community, and governments have stepped up to provide business support and supplement the incomes of impacted employees. It is crucial that this support continues for businesses reliant on the international visitor market.
“Although it is understandable that the Government has delayed the reopening of the international border while it awaits more health advice on the Omicron variant, the delay has again demonstrated the extreme unpredictability that businesses who are reliant on inbound visitors have faced in the almost two years since the borders were slammed shut.
“This decision of the federal government impacts businesses who are left devoid of customers and revenue through no fault of their own. These businesses need our support now so that they can bounce back and continue to contribute to Australia’s global competitive advantage in tourism, business events and major events in the future.”
International tourism contributed $45 billion in revenue each year prior to the pandemic and 44 cents of every tourism dollar was spent on regional destinations.
“Financial support also needs to be coupled with an aspirational vision for the future of the tourism industry,” John Hart, executive chair of Australian Chamber–Tourism added.
“The Federal Government’s THRIVE 2030 Strategy for recovery and sustainable growth of the visitor economy released last week would benefit from a greater focus on the commercial aspects of the industry, while aspirational targets could give us a competitive edge in the international tourism market.
“Australian Chamber – Tourism will be engaging with the Government to advocate that the strategy reflects an understanding of how the industry operates and includes short, medium and long-term targets to ensure Australia returns as premier destination for international tourists.”
