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 ATIA Highlights the Critical Role of Travel Advisors This Global Travel Advisor Day The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) is using Global Travel Advisor Day (7 May 2025) to highlight the critical contribution accredited travel businesses and their incredible staff make every day to safer, smarter travel and championing their value as trusted professionals supporting millions of Australians. 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. Golden Age of Travel Agents: Industry Hits Back at Misleading KPMG Report 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. 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. ATIA and My First Job Launch “The Travel Gap” to Expand Travel Workforce The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has joined forces with My First Job, the innovative youth employment platform, to launch The Travel Gap, a new initiative designed to inspire and support school leavers in discovering exciting, real-world careers within Australia’s travel industry. Showing 0 Comment Comments are closed.