UPDATE ON TRAVEL FOR APRIL 2022
THE NEED FOR FEES & TRAVEL PROFFESIONALS
Remember “WITHOUT A TRAVEL AGENT, YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN” well it’s back! During the past 2 years many who booked their holidays online pre COVID experienced nightmare moments holding on to long phone calls to Airlines, Wholesalers, Cruise Lines & Hotels requesting/demanding refunds and/or credits. Welcome to the world of Travel without a Travel Agent/Consultant/Adviser – Professional. In the ever-changing Travel Industry, keeping up to date with changes especially during the pandemic has forced many Bricks and Mortar offices to close. Over 15,000 Travel Consultants sadly left an Industry they loved so much. Thanks to the Government for introducing Job Keeper in 2020, this helped many of us to pay back our “well-earned” commissions with airfare refunds & provided hope for the future then. Who ever knew the pandemic would last so long and our joy of Travelling overseas would come to a standstill?
THE NEED FOR FEES – At our recent TravelManagers State Meeting, the focus was on the need to charge fees now all domestic and most international airlines have stopped paying commission. Clients booking flights online is not new, however makes it difficult for a Travel Professional to create the continuity of a “Packaged Holiday” which we and our partners oversee to avoid mishaps when travelling within Australia and/or overseas. AFTA AND ATAS advised they cannot set Fixed Fees; we need to charge our own.
CRUISING AND AIRLINES: With our Aussie & NZ borders reopening, plus Cruising given the go ahead, more International Airlines are returning to fly in and out of Brisbane and the new Brisbane Cruise Terminal is bringing larger ships to Queensland. Starting with P&O & Princess in May, cruising our Aussie Coastline, then closer to Christmas we see more NZ, Papua New Guinea and South Pacific Sailings. BIG SHIPS from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are also coming to excite our Aussie waters, as is Holland America and many smaller Luxury and Expedition ships for the coming Kimberley Season. Very exciting times ahead, Australia has been labelled as Covid Clean Country attracting many international tourists and why many BIG ships are coming to OZ.
AUSSIE AIR AND LAND TOURS remain popular for those not ready to confront travelling overseas. A Positive that happened during COVID in our Travel Industry is the growth of many Small Australian Companies. Popular Day Air Tours EX Brisbane to the Outback like Longreach and Winton, The Great Barrier Reef to Lady Musgrave and Lake Eyre are very popular. Can’t wait for details on the 2022 “Longreach Cup 2 Day Air tour” Giddy Up. Not only larger companies like APT & Scenic with their Air Tours, but Globus & Insight have also created amazing Land and Air Tours attracting many local and overseas travellers.
OVERSEAS TRAVEL continues to improve with less PCR testing. I can’t wait to hop on my Singapore Airlines flight to Amsterdam then board a Holland America ship to sail around Norway on my Viking Saga Cruise in June. Fingers Crossed there will be no disruptions to my plans. YES! IT’S TIME TO TRAVEL & CRUISE AGAIN!!
