Australian Tourism Industry Council calls for border restrictions to end

The Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) has shared its concerns that ongoing border restrictions will lead to continued disruptions for the nation’s tourism operators.

ATIC specifically cited how Western Australian tourism operators have now been dealt another heavy blow with the postponement of the previously planned border reopening.

ATIC’s concerns are backed by findings in the latest National Tourism Business Activity and COVID-19 Survey for the October-December quarter that reveal that tourism operators are on average experiencing a 52% downturn in business activity, compared to the same quarter in 2019, pre-COVID.

Stating that for tourism to successfully move to COVID-normal and allow Australia to bounce back, border closures must end, ATIC Deputy Chair, Daniel Gschwind explained “the past two years of this pandemic have been devastating for the tourism and aviation industries. Any prospect for a recovery will be at extreme risk if borders remain locked.”

Tourism Research Australia (TRA) revealed in its latest publication that the Australian tourism operators suffered a loss in revenue well over $50 billion from reduced domestic overnight travel alone, since the pandemic started.

Commenting on this, Gschwind  advised “every regional community and all capital cities in Australia have been impacted by the loss of tourism activity, they need to be supported for a speedy recovery.

“Over the past two years, we have seen families and friends separated. Many Australians have been waiting too long to be reunited and the hopes of many tourism operators have now been dashed.”

Australia is now one of the most protected nations in the world against COVID-19 due to our high vaccination rates - at 93% of 16 year olds and over fully vaccinated as of 25th January.

With more people having received their third dose, and, as additional shipments of Rapid Antigen Tests become available, the rate of protection will only increase, Gschwind added “Australians have been doing the hard work to get through this pandemic and it would be a tragedy to see their hard work come to nothing.

“If we cannot ease our own borders and come back together now, with all the tools we have available, then when?”

Images: Western Australia's William Bay National Park (top) and Australian Tourism Industry Council Deputy Chair, Daniel Gschwind (below).