Travel agents picket MPs officers over stalled cruise ship industry

Journey operators throughout the nation will picket federal MPs‘ places of work at this time in a bid to get the journey trade again up and operating.

Final month the Federal Well being Minister, Greg Hunt, mentioned that ships could be banned from coming into Australia till no less than February 17.

The chief government of the Gold Coast-based Bob Wooden Cruise Group, Jay McKenzie, mentioned uncertainty across the stalled cruise ship trade was crippling her enterprise. 

„Sadly, come the center of December they determined to increase the cruise ban till February 17.

„Now we have an actual concern that throughout the subsequent three or 4 weeks they’re simply going to roll that ban over once more.“

The Robina-based agent mentioned many alternative sectors of the journey trade depend on cruising, together with reserving brokers.

„There are corporations like mine which is a vacation spot administration firm,“ she mentioned.

„We glance after the assorted ships once they come into the ports alongside the Queensland coast and round Australia.

„We have got one of many largest suppliers of cruise ship entertainers based mostly right here. We have got produce growers, wineries, tour guides they usually’re all based mostly right here on the Gold Coast.

Ms McKenzie mentioned the trade wanted a street map to supply certainty so cruise line corporations can start the method of scheduling cruises.

„It takes two to 3 months to get a cruise ship into Australian waters,“ she mentioned.   

„Even when they do say on February 17 that the ban is just not going to be prolonged, we can’t see a ship right here till the tip of Might, starting of June.“ 

Funding sought

In the course of the pandemic journey businesses had entry to JobKeeper and focused grants, however the chief government of the Australian Federation of Journey Brokers (AFTA), Dean Lengthy, mentioned extra help was wanted.

„That is damaged up into two tranches: One a enterprise help bundle which can help in money stream; the second half can be a expertise retention bundle which is about $100 million to assist their companies re-engage their staff.“

Mr Lengthy mentioned Australians are holding greater than $8 billion in worldwide journey credit and there was a scarcity of brokers to course of journey preparations.

„We have misplaced over 15,000 staff by the primary 24 months of this pandemic,“ he mentioned.

„With out further help we’re taking a look at dropping one other 10,000.“

Walked away 

Annie Ajayi lives on the Gold Coast and labored as a journey agent for greater than 18 years, till not too long ago.

„It is simply been a roller-coaster journey,“ she mentioned.