The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has hit back at a report from KPMG that found that the number of travel agent jobs in Australia declined almost 35% between 2014 and 2024.
ATIA says that far from being an industry in decline, the sector is booming and is only being held back by a skilled workforce shortfall.
“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,” said ATIA chief executive Dean Long
ATIA described KPMG’s findings as “misleading and disconnected from both real-time industry activity and government-backed projections”.
The association said some of the data gathered by KPMG reflected the state of the industry during the pandemic when revenue losses exceeded 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,” ATIA said.
ATIA noted that 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”.
“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,” the association said.