Tourism industry backs Free Trade Agreement and local jobs

A united group representing tourism businesses across Australia has condemned trade union campaigning against the China Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), saying it threatens the future success of the growing export industry.

Australia’s leading tourism including the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC), the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF), the Accommodation Association of Australia (AAoA), the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) and Restaurant and Catering Australia (R&CA) have warned that union campaigning risks severe damage to the future of our $32.5 billion tourism export industry.

ATEC Managing Director, Peter Shelley explained that Australia’s tourism industry has grown to become a strong export sector, with “China now our highest spending visitor market.”

Shelley stated “we are seeing double digit growth from the Chinese market with visitor spend up 25% in the past 12 months to reach $6.4 billion and an expected doubling of Chinese visitors in the next five years.

“This is the market which kept Australian tourism strong throughout the GFC and is a cornerstone to our future success.

“Our industry is very concerned about the short sighted focus of the union’s campaign which fails to recognise the importance of the ChAFTA to a broad range of export industries and the flow on benefits it will bring to the broader economy including jobs throughout the country.”

TTF Chief Executive Margy Osmond said agreements like ChAFTA were key to maintain Australia’s global competitiveness, adding “international competition for the China market is fierce, with countries like the United States leading the charge in enabling greater access for Chinese visitors.

“We must remain competitive internationally. With Chinese international travel expected to grow by more than 5% over the next 10 years, reaching nearly 97 million by 2023, we can’t afford to be left behind.”

Chairman of the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), Matthew Hingerty said expanded trade with China would have a flow-on to the meetings, events, convention, exhibitions and incentive industry.

 Hingerty concluded “China is already a significant contributor to Australia’s business events sector, earning us $262 million in export income last year. 

“What is often forgotten in these disputes is that expanded trade in agriculture, mining, health and other services, just to name a few, gives a flow-on bonus of highly lucrative business travel between the two trading partners.

 “The business events sector supports thousands of small businesses, on top of the large convention and exhibition centres and providers, and to vote the Free Trade agreement with China down would be a significant blow.”

Lower image courtesy of BIG4 Holiday Parks and Resorts. 

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