Fraud Alert: Unauthorised Use of IATA Credentials and NDC Access

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:07:19 GMT

We have been advised of a significant fraud incident overseas involving the unauthorised use of a legitimate agency’s IATA accreditation number and GDS PCC to gain airline NDC access and issue fraudulent tickets using stolen credit cards.

Fraudsters operating from Brazil and other international locations spoofed an agency’s email domain in order to impersonate a legitimate travel business. Using the agency’s valid IATA accreditation number and GDS PCC—without authorisation—the individual attempted to gain access to airline NDC connections. Fraudulent ticketing ultimately occurred through an airline’s NDC channel, despite the legitimate agency not being registered for that NDC connection. The tickets were issued using stolen credit cards, and subsequent chargebacks exposed the scheme. Similar attempts were identified across multiple airlines and connectivity providers.

While identified abroad, this type of coordinated activity can quickly extend to other markets. Australian agencies should be on high alert.

We recommend closely monitoring BSP reports, strictly controlling who can request or approve NDC access, tracking all NDC registrations centrally. Airlines and technology partners must apply strong authentication measures before granting access.

Report any suspicious activity immediately to your airline partners and relevant providers.

ATIA Highlights the Critical Role of Travel Advisors This Global Travel Advisor Day

Wed, 07 May 2025 11:59:03 GMT

At the heart of each ATIA’s accredited businesses are the team members that make each travel experience, delivering trusted, expert advice to millions of Australians. Whether guiding complex international itineraries, navigating flight disruptions, managing documentation, or providing emergency assistance abroad, travel advisors are proving more essential than ever. As the industry evolves, so too does the role of accredited travel professionals - now central to delivering smarter, safer, and more personalised travel.

This demand is reflected in robust booking volumes. In 2024, ATIA members booked $13.5 billion in retail travel, $11.8 billion in corporate travel, and $5.6 billion in land operations. More than 70% of international air sales and over 90% of corporate travel bookings are made through agents, with Australians increasingly turning to trusted professionals for peace of mind and expert support.

ATIA continues to lead efforts to raise the visibility, value and viability of accredited travel advisors across government, industry and the travelling public. Through sustained advocacy, workforce development initiatives, and public awareness campaigns, the Association is ensuring that the policy, funding and regulatory environment enables its members to thrive. With 92% of members being small businesses and 72% of the workforce made up of women, ATIA’s membership reflects one of Australia’s most diverse, innovative and customer-focused sectors.

This Global Travel Advisors Day, ATIA proudly celebrates the contribution of our members.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO ATIA CEO DEAN LONG:

“We are in the golden age of travel professionals, as more Australians, many of whom were burnt by COVID-travel experiences, turn to expert advisors for complex travel needs and crisis support.”

“GlobalTravel Advisor Day is a powerful reminder of the critical role our members play in supporting Australians before, during and after they travel. ATIA is proud to champion accredited travel businesses every day and ensure their value is recognised across government, industry and the public. As the travel environment grows more complex, our focus remains on strengthening the visibility, capability and influence of Australia’s travel professionals.”

QUOTES FROM ATIA MEMBERS:

Adrienne Witteman, Managing Director, Trendsetter Travel & Cruise Centre (Northwood/Longueville NSW):

“When a car took out the front of my agency last week, I was still waiting on the builder to make things safe yet two clients literally walked over broken glass to see me. They looked in and asked, ‘Are you open?’ I said, ‘Yes, but please be careful.’ That’s how much people value real, expert travel advice.

In that moment, it couldn’t have been clearer: Australians still want real, personal travel advice. On the ground, the demand for experienced travel advisors is unshakable.”

Anna McMurtrie, Managing Director, Wentworth Travel (Double Bay, Sydney NSW):

“Today’s travellers aren’t just looking for a booking. They’re looking for a partner they can trust. After 40 years in the business, we’ve seen that genuine expertise, personal service, and strong industry connections matter more than ever. When things go wrong, our clients know we’ll be there with a solution. That’s the real value of a travel expert. It’s not just about getting there, it’s about knowing someone’s got your back every step of the way.”

Max Najar, Director and Manager, Axis Travel (Glenunga, South Australia):

“In today’s everchanging and complex travel climate, the value of a trusted travel advisor has never been clearer. We’re seeing clients turned away at borders for applying for incorrect visas, and not having proper documentation or itineraries - things that travel advisors always provide. A visa doesn’t guarantee entry, so the stakes are high. Most travel insurers also do not compensate for losses incurred. A professional travel advisor uses their toolkit of expertise and experience to ensure that you’re properly prepared and protected so your holiday or business travel is as stress-free as possible at the immigration counter.”

Andrew Gillard, Managing Director, Darebin Travel (Yarrambat, Victoria):
“The role of the travel advisor has never been more vital. At Darebin Travel, we’ve seen the industry evolve over four decades from print brochures to personalised, tech-enabled service and we’re still here because we adapt, we deliver, and we care. In an era of information overload, digital scams, and travel uncertainty, Australians are turning to trusted experts to guide them. Travel advisors aren’t a thing of the past - we are the future of smarter, safer travel.”

Chris Watson, Managing Director, Chris Watson Travel Group (Weston Cruise and Travel, Chris Watson Travel)
“In a world of online options and endless choices, booking with a travel agent offers something the internet simply can’t - personalised service, expert advice, and genuine care. Our client numbers are increasing, new clients are coming into the agency for the reasons our existing clients have been, some telling us horror stories of not booking with an agent in the past. Our clients value knowing they have a dedicated professional advocating for them every step of the way, from planning to when things don’t go as expected. It’s not just about booking a trip; it’s about peace of mind and having a real person at the end of the phone or the other side of a desk."

For media enquiries and interviews please contact LJ Loch at lj.loch@atia.travel or 0488 038 555

ATIA members' voices to be heard in new Parliament after strong advocacy campaign

Mon, 05 May 2025 09:38:38 GMT

With votes cast in the 2025 federal election and the new parliament taking shape, ATIA members are in a strong position to continue advocating for measures to keep our industry strong.

ATIA energetically engaged candidates from all sides of politics on key issues affecting the travel industry during the campaign and will continue to strongly advocate on behalf of members when the new parliament begins sitting.

ATIA is committed to ensuring our elected representatives are aware of the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. It has never been more important that the views of our members are heard given the power and presence of other dominant players in our ecosystem.

If we are to change the ecosystem our members operate in, we need to make sure that we have support across Ministers, Shadow Ministers, and as many members of Parliament as possible.

ATIA’s advocacy priorities centre on fairness and include:

Avoiding unnecessary red tape: Ensuring that the proposed Aviation Industry Ombuds Scheme remain focused on airlines who set fare rules and hold consumer funds and airports, not travel agents which would come at significant cost for each business.
Growing Consumer Awareness: A public awareness campaign highlighting the safety and consumer benefits of booking with an accredited, Australian-based travel agent is needed.
Ensuring fair payments: Travel businesses generally operate on low margins, and some are forced to pay bonds of more than $1 million to maintain merchant terminals. Removing their ability to recover the cost of accepting debt and credit card payments through surcharging will uniquely disadvantage travel businesses.
Enhancing aviation competition: Weak competition in the aviation market has left Australians facing soaring airfares, patchy service, and reduced connectivity.
Reversing training funding cuts: Employers who take on apprentices and trainees in the travel industry, must be continue to be supported. The costs of supervising and training apprentices can be prohibitive and without financial incentives and it can mean the difference between employers being able to take on a trainee or not.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO ATIA CEO DEAN LONG:
“We thank members who contacted their local political candidates during the election campaign. A relationship with your local member of Parliament is important no matter who you support politically.”

“Advocacy is about more than politics. It is about shaping the conversation to ensure the needs and concerns of our members heard and considered at the tables of power when important decisions are being made.’’

“We now move into the next stage of the political cycle and we will be working with members to build on the success to date as we cement existing relationships and build new ones with key players."

"In addition to our direct engagement with Ministers and Shadow Ministers, the most powerful asset we have are the voices of our Members in each electorate. There are multiple challenges, and opportunities, for us with this Parliament and our focus is on making sure the value of Travel and of supporting accredited Travel businesses is widely understood.”

Golden Age of Travel Agents: Industry Hits Back at Misleading KPMG Report

Fri, 02 May 2025 11:40:55 GMT

The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has rejected claims in KPMG’s latest research report that the travel agent profession is in decline, describing the findings as misleading and disconnected from both real-time industry activity and government-backed projections.

The KPMG report references a 10-year reduction in travel agent roles, claiming the profession has experienced the biggest decline of any major occupation and attributing the decline to the impact of online.

However, the industry snapshot captured in the August 2021 Census which is one of the sources for the KPMG report was at the height of COVID-19 lockdowns and international border closures. At that time, the industry had recorded revenue losses exceeding 90%, and more than a third of the workforce had been let go as international travel ground to a halt.

That shortfall is still being felt today, with accredited travel businesses across the country reporting persistent skills shortages. However, the demand for travel professionals is stronger than ever, and Australians are using accredited agents at record levels.

While the KPMG Report also relies on Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) data from May 2024 including the fact that more than 17,000 Australians are working as Tourism and Travel Advisors, it seems to ignore JSA’s accompanying forecasts that the sector will grow by 4.3% over the next five years and nearly 10% within the next decade.

More than 70% of international air sales and over 90% of corporate travel bookings are still made through agents proving that travel professionals are not only relevant, but central to how Australians travel today. In 2024 alone, ATIA members booked $13.5 billion in retail travel, $11.8 billion in corporate travel, and $5.6 billion in land operations.

The profession is still rebuilding following COVID-19, but the fundamentals have never been stronger: travellers want personalised advice, expert support in times of disruption, and guidance in an increasingly complex global travel landscape.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO ATIA CEO DEAN LONG:
“We are in the golden age of travel professionals, as more Australians, many of whom were burnt by COVID-travel experiences, turn to expert advisors for complex travel needs and crisis support.”

“KPMG’s report unfortunately fails to reflect the devastating impact of COVID on our sector, when the international travel ban forced the loss of more than a third of our workforce. The 2021 Census which KPMG has relied on reflects a time when the borders were closed and the industry in survival mode given this the bulk of the bookings made through our members are for International Travel. This period of extensive job losses has continued to impact as the sector rebuilds but the job losses are not due to lack of traveller appetite for expert travel support.”

“The demand for travel agents and advisors has never been higher and the biggest challenge we face is not declining relevance, but an urgent workforce shortfall that we continue to work hard to have addressed so Australian travel businesses can meet this growing demand.”

“This demand is reinforced by Jobs and Skills Australia data which projects the sector will grow by nearly 10% over the next decade.”

NTIA Nominations open with refreshed Categories

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:06:00 GMT

Nominations open today for the 2025 National Travel Industry Awards (NTIA), with a refreshed line-up of categories that celebrate the diversity, strength, and innovation of Australia’s travel sector.

In 2025, 36 award categories will recognise excellence across the industry, with new and refined categories ensuring the awards remain fit for purpose, reflective of the evolving travel landscape, and representative of the breadth of talent and expertise in the sector.

The NTIA Custodians have played an enhanced role in providing industry insights and guidance to uphold the integrity and credibility of the awards program. Their stewardship ensures the awards not only celebrate success but set benchmarks for the future of the travel industry.

Key changes to the 2025 NTIA categories include:

Nominees for Most Outstanding Mobile / Home Based Travel Advisor now need to be ATIA Accredited themselves or a current ATIA Individual Member whose part of a network (change: if they’re part of a network – they now also need to be an ATIA Individual Member).
Streamlined Sales Executive Awards: The "Most Outstanding Sales Executive - Hotels / Car Hire" category has been retired following industry feedback and participation trends, allowing a sharper focus on the most competitive and representative fields of excellence.
“Most Outstanding Sales Executive – Tour Operator” and “Sales Executive – Wholesaler” need to be employed by an ATIA Accredited Tour Operator or Wholesaler – reinforcing ATIA’s benchmark for industry standards
“Most Outstanding Corporate Travel Agency – Group Travel - “Most Outstanding Business Events Travel Agency” has been retired. This category is for agencies specialising in business events (MICE), Entertainment, Touring, Production, Sports and other group travel.
Most Outstanding Leisure Travel Agency – Single Location & Most Outstanding Leisure Travel Agency – Multi Location have both been retired. Shifting away from number of locations to branding. Categories are now:
- Most Outstanding Independent Leisure Trave Agency – agencies operating with a unique trading name that doesn’t include a brand or consortia
- Most Outstanding Branded Leisure Travel Agency – agencies operating with a recognised brand within its trading name, up to a maximum of 20 locations
Clarified Branded Travel Group Standards: The "Most Outstanding Branded Travel Agency Group" will require nominees to operate a minimum of 20 locations, with all locations consistently branded, emphasising the strength of national brand presence.
New Team Achievement Award: A new addition, "Most Popular Reservations / Groups Team," will, for the first time, honour the exceptional work of teams within the travel industry, shining a light on collaborative excellence.
“Most Outstanding Travel Industry Training Institution” now “Most Outstanding Travel Industry Training Program” – instead of celebrating the training organisation – shift to the program / courses themselves.

The awards will culminate at the NTIA Gala, to be held at The Star Brisbane on Saturday 18 October 2025, following the Beyond Borders Summit on 17 October.

To view the full line up of NTIA 2025 categories and for more information on the Awards Program, visit http://www.atia.travel/NTIA2025

Nominations close 21 May.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO DEAN LONG, ATIA CEO:
"The NTIAs celebrate the achievements of those who lead and inspire our vibrant travel industry. These new and refined categories ensure the awards reflect the breadth and innovation of our sector today."

"The role of the NTIA Custodians has never been more important. Their insights and guidance ensure the NTIAs continue to maintain the highest standards of credibility and distinction."

"The appetite of Australia’s travel community to promote and support excellence in the sector by nominating, voting and attending the NTIA celebrations grows exponentially every year and we already know from inquiries that 2025 will be no different.

“This is your chance to recognise and honour the incredible talent and contribution that drives our industry forward so get nominating!”

ATIA’s Renewal Rockstar winners named

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 10:15:20 GMT

Nineteen ATIA accredited travel businesses from across Australia are celebrating today after being named as Renewal Rockstars.

This year’s top prizes were an eight-day Viking River or Ocean Cruise for two awarded to Exclusively Cruising and the 2 economy-class flights anywhere in the Singapore Airlines network awarded to H.I.S Australia and Hastwell Travel and Cruise.

The other winners were:

Port Macquarie Travel - 2 economy-class flights to Johannesburg (Donated by Qantas)
Helloworld Travel Engadine – 2 domestic flights (Donated by Virgin Australia)
Triple R Travel, Travelglobe, Sailing Whitsundays, South Perth Travel and Expedition Partners - Individual GOLD Velocity Frequent Flyer memberships (Donated by Virgin Australia)
VS Oceania Pty Ltd – Classic Vietnam Trip (Donated by G Adventures)
Villa Holiday Your Way – $2,500 Intrepid Australia Travel Voucher (Donated by Intrepid Travel)
Anywhere Travel – $2,500 Intrepid Australia Travel Voucher (Donated by Intrepid Travel)
Travelling – $2,500 Intrepid Australia Travel Voucher (Donated by Intrepid Travel)
Helloworld Travel Portland – $350 credit on ticketing fees (Donated by Air Tickets)
Ready 2 Travel – $350 Virgin Australia credit (Donated by CVFR Consolidation Services)
Casino Travel Shoppe – Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance Policy (Donated by Cover-More)
Fly Me Now – Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance Policy (Donated by Cover-More)
Devonport Travel and Cruise – Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance Policy (Donated by Cover-More)

All businesses who renewed their ATIA Accreditation before 31 March were eligible for the draw.

A special callout and thank you to our major sponsors Viking and Singapore Airlines as well as all supporting sponsors.

QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO MICHELLE BLACK, VIKING MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND:
“Congratulations to ATIA on the success of the ‘Renew and Win’ campaign, and to the team at Exclusively Cruising for winning the 8-day Viking voyage. We’re proud to be a part of a campaign that champions the vital work of travel advisors across the country. ATIA’s unwavering advocacy, commitment to industry standards, and the resources it provides continue to elevate our entire sector. We commend Dean and the team for their leadership and are honoured to partner with them on such an impactful program."

QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINGAPORE AIRLINES GENERAL MANAGER, AGENCY SALES, GREG MCJARROW:
"Singapore Airlines is proud to support ATIA with the Renewal Rockstar initiative, further reinforcing our commitment to the Australian travel industry. As major sponsor of the National Travel Industry Awards, we are committed to supporting continued excellence in the sector. Congratulations to the winners."

QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO JULIE O’GRADY, DIRECTOR, EXCLUSIVELY CRUISING
“I was absolutely thrilled to discover I’d won the Viking cruise as part of ATIA’s Renewal Rockstar campaign! As a proud ATIA-accredited business and committed member, I’m a strong supporter of the incredible work Dean and the team continue to deliver. Being part of an industry grounded in trust, professionalism and outstanding service means the world to me. I am incredibly grateful to ATIA and Viking for this generous and unforgettable opportunity.”

QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO VIRGIN AUSTRALIA GENERAL MANAGER, SALES, DARREN MCDERMOTT:
Virgin Australia congratulates all the winners and applauds their outstanding dedication to excellence in the travel industry. Our partnership with ATIA continues to reflect our commitment to recognising and supporting the industry's ongoing success

QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO QANTAS EXECUTIVE MANAGER, GLOBAL SALES AND DISTRIBUTION, KATHRYN ROBERTSON:
“Qantas is proud to support ATIA and the Renewal Rockstar promotion, which recognises the critical role of accredited travel businesses in delivering trusted, high-quality service. Congratulations to all the winners who represent the very best of our industry and help Australians travel the world with confidence.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO DEAN LONG, ATIA CEO:
“Maintaining accreditation is a powerful statement. It reflects a business’s dedication to professionalism, consumer protection and industry standards. It’s been fantastic to see such strong member support for showcasing excellence through accreditation, and it’s been even better to be able to reward that enthusiasm with our Renewal Rockstar Competition. A huge thank you to all our generous sponsors and especially our main sponsor Viking for adding even more fun to the process of renewing.”

ATAS is now ATIA Accredited

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 23:31:24 GMT

At our inaugural Beyond Borders Summit, we introduced Project A30. This represents a comprehensive reset for the Association and the industry, with the goal of fostering long-term growth, innovation and sustainability.

One of the key initiatives announced was the retirement of the ATAS brand and a transition to one unified brand - ATIA Accredited. This transition aims to strengthen consumer trust and create a trusted travel ecosystem that connects suppliers, agencies and consumers more seamlessly.

It's important to note that there will be no changes to the accreditation program or the renewal process and requirements, however your next membership certificate will be fully branded as ATIA accredited. And right now you are able to download the ATIA Accredited logo suite for use in your marketing collateral, websites, email signatures and business cards. Click here to access the logo suite today.

Other Initiatives Announced

Industry-Led Protections: As part of its strategic commitment to the industry’s future, ATIA is developing new supplier and agency protection measures to safeguard both members and travellers. This program is designed to reduce risk, improve accountability, and enhance confidence across the sector. A full proposal for industry-wide consultation is expected in 2025, signalling a collaborative approach to enhancing consumer protections without overburdening businesses with unnecessary regulations.
Workforce Development Initiatives: ATIA will introduce a suite of programs aimed at attracting and retaining talent in the travel industry. This includes a Gap Year program that will invite school leavers to experience careers in travel, as well as the Travel Career Kickstart Training Program aimed at providing new starters with the skills they need to enter the workforce. These initiatives are critical in addressing the industry’s skill shortages and creating pathways for future generations of travel professionals.
Modern Slavery Reporting Solutions: ATIA is also leading the charge on streamlining compliance with Modern Slavery regulations. Working with partners, the Association will develop a bespoke solution that integrates with existing accreditation processes, reducing the burden on businesses and helping the industry address this critical issue more efficiently.
Data Insight Series: Finally, ATIA announced the launch of its Enterprise Benchmarking Reports, a new data insight series that provides members with tailored performance comparisons against industry peers. This tool, leveraging de-identified ATAS and economic data, will offer valuable insights into market trends and member performance, allowing businesses to make informed decisions based on both historical and current data. It builds on ATIA's monthly Travel Trends Reports

We've also hosted a webinar discussing these initiatives; and released audio from the Beyond Borders Travel Summit as these announcements were made.

ATIA unveils game-changing initiatives at inaugural Beyond Borders Summit

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 16:48:38 GMT

These initiatives, introduced as part of Project A30, represent a comprehensive reset for the Association and the industry, with the goal of fostering long-term growth, innovation and sustainability.

Project A30 is the culmination of a transformative three-year strategy that positions ATIA to respond to the evolving challenges and opportunities faced by the Australian travel industry.

Key announcements unveiled at the Summit include:

Single-brand transition with “ATAS accredited” becoming “ATIA accredited”: ATIA will consolidate under a unified brand, retiring the ATAS brand and moving towards a singular, recognisable identity. This transition aims to strengthen consumer trust and create a trusted travel ecosystem that connects suppliers, agencies and consumers more seamlessly. The move is designed to foster deeper engagement with consumers while simplifying the identity of the organisation across the entire supply chain.
Industry-led protections: As part of its strategic commitment to the industry’s future, ATIA is developing new supplier and agency protection measures to safeguard both members and travellers. This program is designed to reduce risk, improve accountability and enhance confidence across the sector. A full proposal for industry-wide consultation is expected in 2025, signalling a collaborative approach to enhancing consumer protections without overburdening businesses with unnecessary regulations.
Workforce-development Initiatives: ATIA will introduce a suite of programs aimed at attracting and retaining talent in the travel industry. This includes a Gap Year program that will invite school leavers to experience careers in travel, as well as the Travel Career Kickstart Training Program aimed at providing new starters with the skills they need to enter the workforce. These initiatives are critical in addressing the industry’s skill shortages and creating pathways for future generations of travel professionals.
Modern-slavery-reporting solutions: ATIA is also leading the charge on streamlining compliance with Modern Slavery regulations. Working with partners, the Association will develop a bespoke solution that integrates with existing accreditation processes, reducing the burden on businesses and helping the industry address this critical issue more efficiently.
Data Insight Series: Finally, ATIA announced the launch of its Enterprise Benchmarking Reports, a new data insight series that provides members with tailored performance comparisons against industry peers. This tool, leveraging de-identified ATAS and economic data, will offer valuable insights into market trends and member performance, allowing businesses to make informed decisions based on both historical and current data. It builds on ATIA’s monthly Travel Trends Reports.

Afterpay is the major sponsor for the Beyond Borders Travel Summit. This strategic partnership underscores Afterpay’s commitment to supporting the travel industry’s growth and innovation.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO ATIA CHAIR CHRISTIAN HUNTER:
“The initiatives announced today are the result of three years of diligent work by the ATIA Board and Executive team and mark the start of a key realignment of this organisation.”

“The Board has focused on steering ATIA towards a future where we can better respond to the changing landscape of the travel industry with agility and foresight. The shift to a single brand reflects our strategy to build a unified and trusted travel ecosystem. This move will ensure greater engagement with consumers while simplifying the way we represent our members across the supply chain. By consolidating our identity, we are reinforcing the strength of the industry, ensuring that ATIA remains a leader in trust and reliability.”

“The introduction of industry-led protections is a crucial part of our long-term vision to reduce risk for our members and enhance consumer confidence. This initiative is designed to protect both businesses and travellers without adding unnecessary regulatory burdens, demonstrating our commitment to proportionate, effective solutions that benefit the entire sector.”

“Our focus on workforce development is about ensuring the future sustainability of our industry. Attracting new talent through programs like the Gap Year initiative and the Travel Career Kickstart Training Program is key to addressing the skill shortages we face. These programs represent a long-term strategy to position Travel as an attractive and viable career path for the next generation.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO ATIA CEO DEAN LONG:
“The Single Brand Transition and the switch to ‘ATIA accredited’ is more than just a rebranding; it’s about creating a seamless and trusted travel ecosystem that benefits the entire travel community. This move will allow us to engage more effectively with consumers and build long-term trust, ensuring that our members remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market.”

“Our Industry-Led Protections initiative will be a game-changer for risk management within the sector. By proactively creating protections for suppliers and travel businesses, we’re safeguarding our members and also enhancing consumer confidence in booking through ATIA-accredited businesses. This program will strengthen our industry’s reputation as a leader in quality, security and reliability.”

“The Gap Year program and Travel Career Kickstart Training are key to fostering the next generation of travel professionals. These initiatives will create accessible pathways for young people to explore careers in Travel, helping us address ongoing workforce shortages while positioning the industry as an exciting and viable career option.”

“We’ve heard loud and clear from our members that compliance with Modern Slavery regulations has become an increasing burden. By developing a bespoke solution that integrates with our existing accreditation processes, we’re making compliance more efficient and effective for all businesses, while helping our industry play its part in addressing a critical global issue.”

“The introduction of Enterprise Benchmarking Reports is also a direct response to member feedback. These reports will provide invaluable insights into business performance, enabling our members to make data-driven decisions that support their growth and success. In a competitive industry, having access to these kinds of insights is essential for staying ahead of market trends.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO AFTERPAY COUNTRY MANAGER (APAC) KATRINA KONSTAS:
“This partnership with ATIA not only reflects Afterpay’s commitment to supporting innovation and growth within the travel industry but also underscores our mission to empower travellers with greater financial flexibility. Continuing to offer Afterpay to the travel industry isn’t just about convenience; it’s about unlocking possibilities.”

“We look forward to enhancing the summit’s impact by providing valuable insights and networking opportunities for industry professionals, as we collectively navigate towards a future where travel is simpler, more flexible and financially empowering.”

CrowdStrike impact on travelling Australians

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 09:58:37 GMT

Australia’s travel professionals and businesses moved quickly into action on Friday to provide support to the many Australians whose travel plans were thrown into chaos. The chaos was the result of the flow-on effect of the suspension of check-in services and flights domestically and globally.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO OLIVE TREE TRAVEL DIRECTOR STEVEN GREEN:

“I’ve had people who weren’t clients contact me in a panic as a result of the outage, as Jetstar had cancelled their flight from Singapore to Melbourne and rebooked them in six days’ time. There was no accommodation with a credit on offer for the flight. They called to see if we could help get them home earlier. We could.”

“I booked them on two seats on Qantas for Monday evening and was checking hourly over the weekend to see if there were any other options that had opened up for them to get them home earlier. They were happy to pay my booking fee and told me they felt blessed to have a guardian angel on their side, trying all the options for them.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO TAKE OFF GO DIRECTOR IVONA SINIARSKA:

“I had two clients, a mother and son, travelling through the US for a family reunion, who were scheduled to fly from Denver to Chicago to Green Bay. Their flight was supposed to depart at 10 am, but American Airlines hadn’t cancelled the flights in our GDS, so we were uncertain whether the guests should go to the airport.”

“They couldn’t miss the family reunion, so we had to act quickly. As the check-in deadline approached and the airline still showed the flights as cancelled on their website, we decided to skip the chaos and quickly hired a car, so they could drive the 17 hours to make the reunion on time. We also booked them a hotel in Des Moines for their overnight stay. I received a heartfelt message saying they made it to the family reunion on time. They expressed their gratitude for how, within 15 minutes, I was able to cancel their flights, email American Airlines, and book them a car and hotel to ensure they made it to their family gathering.”

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO ATIA CEO DEAN LONG:

“Travel professionals are worth their weight in gold, particularly during unexpected disruptions. Friday’s Microsoft outages, which led to flight cancellations and check-in delays on a global and domestic scale, underscored the invaluable support our ATAS-accredited members provide.”

“Australia’s travel professionals went above and beyond over the weekend to help their clients and non-clients who reached out in desperation. Choosing an ATAS-accredited travel professional means choosing peace of mind and reliable assistance, no matter the circumstances.”

Recent data breach illustrates travel industry cyber threat

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 13:34:22 GMT

Recent data breach illustrates travel industry cyber threat

In January, details emerged of a data breach at an Australian travel agency, which saw more than 112,000 records from the company’s database leaked online.

The incident saw details including passport images, travel visas, itineraries and tickets, as well as partial credit card numbers, leaked from the company’s non-password-protected database.

Cyber breaches in Australia have become a persistent threat to businesses over recent years, and while the Optus and Medibank leaks were the most prominent, a number of cyber breaches are reported each day. From July 2022 to June 2023, 895 data breaches were reported to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), with 42 of those affecting 5000 or more people.

While health service providers, finance companies, recruitment agencies, legal, accounting and management services and insurance businesses are the top five sectors to be affected, the Inspiring Vacations breach illustrates just how attractive travel businesses are to hackers.

“The travel sector deals with a significant amount of sensitive data,” says Simon Carter, Division Manager of Executive and Professional Risks at Gow-Gates.

“From passport details and visas to payment details and travel itineraries, the information a travel agent or tour operator collects is extremely attractive to cyber criminals, and it’s essential your systems and digital security stand up to the threat today.”

The impact of a data breach

From a business perspective, a data breach can have huge and long-lasting implications.

Firstly, there’s reputational damage. How many people are actively going to choose a company that hasn’t looked after customer data?

Secondly, there’s the operational disruption of the breach and the subsequent investigation, followed by the need to review and change business practices. Lastly, consider the direct repercussions of the breach, specifically the legal implications that could follow.

Add to that the financial costs – an average of $39,000 per business in 2021-22 – and it’s clear to see the devastating impact a cyber breach can have.

A robust approach to cyber security must be embedded within an organisation to minimise the chances of being affected by a data breach – and it’s important to understand that not just the big players are targeted.

“You might think that it’s only companies the size of Optus that cybercriminals will find attractive,” says Simon Carter. “However, that’s not accurate – they will just as readily target smaller businesses, which means, regardless of size, it’s imperative you take cyber security seriously.

“While stealing data from an Optus-sized business, for example, may result in greater volumes of data, the reality is it will take greater effort, and the business will have a ready-to-go response mechanism.

“Smaller businesses can be easier to get into – as we saw with Inspiring Vacations – and how the business responds may not be as firmly established.

How to prevent a data breach

You cannot eliminate the threat of a cyber breach entirely. However, you can reduce the risk by having robust business practices, including on-time software updates and continual cyber education for employees.

Key things that every business should be doing include:
1.   Ensuring all software is updated regularly. This means known weaknesses are strengthened, and the most up-to-date software is in place.
2.   Running regular cyber security awareness sessions for employees, continually talking about cyber security as everyone’s responsibility, and helping employees spot potential threats. A huge number of cyber breaches are directly or indirectly the fault of human error, such as people clicking on a suspicious link.
3.   Ensuring multi-factor authentication (MFA) is enabled where available.
4.   Having a documented cyber security policy that details the expectations of employees, plus how the business will respond in the event of an attack.

For more advice on how to prepare your business to cope with cyber threats, take a look through the Government’s business cyber security checklist. The OAIC also has some valuable information to help businesses reduce the risk.

Of course, having the right insurance cover for a cyber breach is essential. Insurance provides an excellent safety net should all mitigation efforts fail, and by working with a broker, underwriter and insurer, you can embed solid practices and mitigation strategies into your every day.

“Speak to your broker about the cover your business needs,” says Simon Carter.

“Some cyber exposure may be covered under a Directors and Officers policy, while other exposure may need a dedicated cyber policy.”

The importance of getting your cyber security right

As illustrated by the Inspiring Vacations breach, every company is a potential victim of cybercrime. Do you have the right mitigation strategies in place, or are you effectively crossing your fingers and hoping for the best?

Speak to one of our Travel Team today, and we can help you protect your business from the threat of cybercrime.

Katie Robinson | Team Manager – krobinson@gowgates.com.au
Sandra Hall | Account Executive – shall@gowgates.com.au
Alana Strassmeir | Assistant Account Broker – astrassmeir@gowgates.com.au