Helloworld Hunter Travel Group join nationwide campaign, with coronavirus taking its toll
It’s dire times for travel agents across the nation, including many in the Hunter, who have struggled to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now calling for a $125 million rescue package from the Federal Government.
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Right across the nation travel agents are bleeding from nine months of COVID-19 madness.
Helloworld Hunter Travel Group are no exception, losing about $300,000 a month as they try to navigate the pandemic storm and get back millions in refunds for their clients.
CEO and Managing Director Brett Dann said most of the industry is suffering, with more than 100 per cent of their revenue gone.
With 26 locations, including 10 across the region with its headquarters in Newcastle and employing 200 staff, it’s been a major hit to the business.
“As soon as COVID-19 was announced back in March, it put a stop on all travel and all bookings stopped and we have been in refund mode,” he said.
“There’s about $10 billion dollars in refunds processed across the industry, $6 billion has been done and still $4 billion we’re trying to repatriate.
“We worked around the clock 24/7 helping to get people home when it happened, we activated a crisis centre to contact every client.
“We’re at breaking point, nine months of not doing the fun bit of booking people’s holidays and dreams, just unwinding it all and fighting for refunds.”
While Mr Dann admits things are just starting to gain momentum again with borders reopening domestically, international travel seems to be a long way off.
He’s joining thousands of travel agents across the country urging the Federal Government to help bail out the struggling industry.
The Australian Federation of Travel Agents has kicked off a campaign calling for a $125 million support package for Australia’s 4,000 travel agents and the 40,000 Australians they employ.
Contributing a staggering $28 billion to the nation’s economy each year, they want the Government to understand the unique position they’re in and the role they play supporting consumers and keeping the tourism sector alive.
“We’re the first into it and we’ll be last out of it,” Mr Dann said.
“We booked the revenue last year for people travelling this year and the revenue we earnt last year pays our bills, but we’re now unwinding all those and refunding it all in full and we have no revenue in our sales this year.
“We’re very thankful for job keeper which is keeping everyone alive, but we’re really beholden to what happens with borders.”
Most of the staff at Hunter Travel Group are on Job Keeper but Mr Dann said it is hard getting staff to stay.
“We’re not dealing with the fun part of travel, there’s a lot of challenges with getting these refunds because they are sitting offshore,” he added.
“We know we will get through it, we have engineered our business and reduced our cost as much as we can, but the targeted package is vital for the industry because we can’t control a lot of the politics around borders.”
His message to all would-be travellers, to consider their local travel agent to book a trip.
“There’s certainly a massive pent up demand and part of our job is just keeping in contact with all our clients,” Mr Dann said.
“People are willing to travel to those safe destinations, there are destinations people are prepared to travel certainly New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands, which have virtually had no COVID-19.
“It’s absolutely key to support your local travel agent, we contribute to the economy, we employ over 200 people, the sector needs support.
“We are all embedded in the local community, we sponsor local footy teams and we want to survive and get through it because up until January this was a thriving and vibrant industry.”