28 February Qatar Airways’ investment in Virgin Australia a win for travel agents and advisors February 28, 2025 By Amanda Rixon Media Release 0 The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) welcomes the Federal Government’s approval of Qatar Airways’ 25 per cent stake in Virgin Australia, a move that will enhance airline competition and create new opportunities for Australian travel agents and advisors. The increased competition on international routes means more reasons for travellers to use travel agencies and advisors to secure the best value flights, particularly for long-haul travel to Europe. With more airline options, travellers rely on expert advice to navigate the best routes, pricing and benefits. QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO ATIA CEO DEAN LONG: “This is great news for Australians who want more choice and more competitive fares when travelling internationally, with greater choices on flights to Europe. More competition in the skies drives innovation, better pricing and improved services for travellers.” “It also increases the potential for greater investment to drive domestic competition.” “It’s a decision which will bring long-term benefits to Australian travellers and the broader travel industry.” “This decision strengthens the role of travel agents and advisors in delivering value to consumers. For agencies, greater competition means more reasons for travellers to use agencies and their travel advisors to find the best value.” “For our land supply members, greater competition and more competitive fares free up more of the budget for travellers to spend more on experiencing destinations through touring.” “With greater competition comes greater negotiation power for travel agents and advisors to drive greater commercial outcomes.” Related Articles Travel has a new home – the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) The Australian Travel Industry has a new peak industry body representing travel agents and advisors, tour operators, consolidators and wholesalers replacing the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) effective today. Virgin Australia—Qatar Airways flights mean more value and choice Australian travellers will benefit from more value and choice with the Virgin Australia—Qatar Airways partnership opening up over 100 global destinations, with the launch sale now underway. Australians’ travel boom continues, with strong growth in Asia and the US Australians are continuing to embrace international travel, with the latest ATIA Travel Trends report revealing significant growth in outbound travel, particularly to Japan, Indonesia and the United States. Australians embrace Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia as travel surges in 2024 Australians are continuing to travel in record numbers, with the latest data revealing Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia as the top-growth destinations ATIA welcomes extension of Coastal Trading Act and introduction of Australian Travel Declaration With 73% of cruise travellers and at least 70% of Australians’ international air sales relying on travel advisors when making bookings, the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) welcomes two significant federal announcements that support the travel sector. ATIA Calls for Stronger Support for Travel Businesses in Federal Election With Australia’s airfares surging — up 13% nationally and as much as 95% on key routes — travellers are paying the price for a market dominated by just two airline groups controlling 98% of domestic passengers. Showing 0 Comment Comments are closed.