Graham Ross’s travel agency Ross Garden Tours calls for government support
Celebrity gardener Graham Ross’s travel agency is one of the many family-run businesses that have been hit hard by the pandemic. His son has given us a glimpse of how hard the past few months have been as The Australian Federation of Travel Agents calls for government assistance.
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Australia’s peak travel agency bodies have called on the government to throw a much-needed economic lifeline to the struggling sector.
The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) has urged the government to offer a $125 million support package for the nation’s travel agencies which employs about 40,000 Australians.
Unlike other sectors that have more opportunities to ‘pivot’ an AFTA spokesman said 72 per cent of travel agencies were family-run and have suffered severe revenue falls.
“They can't ‘pivot’. They can’t operate at all unlike hotels and airlines,” an AFTA spokesman said.
Local Beecroft travel agency Ross Garden Tours owned by Better Homes and Gardens presenter Graham Ross is no exception.
Graham’s son and managing director Kent Ross said the past couple of months have been dire with 60 per cent of its business relying on international travel.
Yet Mr Ross said it's been just as hard organising domestic tours with border closures and the majority of their clients, who are aged 40 and over, not yet having the confidence to travel.
“The road ahead for travel is going to be just as difficult. It's not just about a potential vaccine but the real problem is confidence in the travel market,” Mr Ross said.
“You can't buy confidence.”
In normal times the agency, which recently celebrated 40 years in business, hosts 25 domestic tours but there is currently only one destined in the coming months.
“The only good news is that changing the decision last week has given us one tour to South Australia,” he said.
While he said JobKeeper has allowed them to keep all 14 of their staff employed he said all staff have had reduced hours and pay cuts.
Mr Ross said he also worried about what the future held for them after JobKeeper expires at the end of March.
“I don’t know how we are going to keep the staff we have until that date.”
When asked how the government could help he said extended labour support was necessary.
“Borders is the start but the only chance but we also need extended support to our labour costs.
“If we can't earn any money, staff are going to have to go and the last thing we want is to lose staff.”
Mr Ross said the local community could help support local travel operators by travelling around Australia.
“The message has got to be get out there and travel domestically. We have a huge country to explore,” he said.