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The Council of Australia Tour Operators (CATO) met with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) recently to cement cross-sector support.
Through a series of meetings, centred around joint concerns over border closures, government support, media coverage, COVID-safe travel protocols and the rebuilding of consumer confidence post-pandemic, CATO’s managing director, Brett Jardine and its chairman, Dennis Bunnik, have been discussing the challenges for both the land supply and cruise sector with ATEC’s managing director, Peter Shelley, and chairman of CLIA (Australasia) Gavin Smith.
Describing the collaborative efforts, CATO’s Managing Director Brett Jardine noted that,”Even though each association is dealing with its own unique challenges,CATO’s discussions with CLIA acknowledged that the industry sectors they represent produce an enormous quantity of the product supplied to—and marketed cooperatively through—travel agents.
“CATO and CLIA members are heavily invested in retail distribution. It’s clear that both sectors will play a vital role in leading the recovery of the outbound travel industry.”
CATO’s chairman, Dennis Bunnik, said, “Throughout the COVID crisis, CATO has vigorously advocated for industry unity and working together for the greater good. These high-level meetings with CLIA and ATEC were an important part of this process.”
CATO leadership also met with ATEC’s managing director, Peter Shelley, to consider the travel industry’s product distribution eco-system, and the importance of tour operators, wholesalers and Inbound Tour Operators which are largely hidden from government view but will be critical for the industry’s recovery.
“Whilst CATO is focused primarily on outbound travel, and ATEC focused on inbound, our needs are 100% complimentary as our members’ products and services underpin aviation capacity into and out of Australia. It is vital that we join forces in supporting a coordinated plan to open our borders,” said Jardine.
(Source: Travel Monitor news 21 October 2020)
