By travellingpeople 24/06/2020

It is no secret that the global economy has suffered from Covid-19 and Australia is entering its first recession in about 30 years. The Travel, Tourism and Hospitality industries have been some of the hardest hit.

We are fortunate!

I don’t intend to make this blog political, regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum, many of us are very lucky to be supported by the Job Keeper and Job Seeker schemes. It is not easy and many are not earning what we would during normal employment conditions. We are still lucky! I am in regular contact with people in other countries such as Indonesia (Bali). The people really rely on tourism there and they are truly suffering without tourism and are not getting any government support.

It is important to remember that Job Seeker and Job Keeper does not come free. We will be paying this money back over a long time through taxes.

The impact online booking has on our economy.

Now, it is especially important to not only travel locally and explore Australia, but it is just as important to support your local Travel Agent. Most of the major websites are internationally owned. Operators in Australia earn a much smaller margin as they are charged much higher fees due to traffic, buying power and exposure. Profits from your bookings are sent overseas which means Australia is missing out on taxes that will help pay down the debts on Job Seeker and Keeper. Your local Travel Agent is missing out on commission. For the most part Travel Agents do not charge you fees. Operators give travel agents a share of the fare/booking as commission. Agents study hard to keep up to date with destination, product and industry knowledge to give you the best chance of enjoying a seamless trip. Most of the time agents can match or beat online prices, so please, I urge you to support local business by not only travelling local but booking local. At least give your local agent the opportunity to quote you.

Where profits go when booking via the below companies:

Expedia – USA
Booking dot com – USA
Trivago – Germany & USA
Skyscanner – China
Wotif – USA
Kayak – USA
Air Bnb – USA
Agoda – USA
Anthony Smith Travel – Australia
Your local Travel Agent – Australia

The solution is to travel and book local.

We all need a break and right now Australia needs us more than ever, so please holiday here and book here. When you book with Anthony Smith Travel we are committed to supporting local businesses and applying sustainable booking methods to ensure your money from booking through to taxes stays in Australia and benefits Australian businesses.

At Anthony Smith Travel, we have been busy upskilling and are certified Aussie Specialists as certified by Tourism Australia. Australia is a beautiful country and we have so much on offer in our own back yard. With no international tourism, we have a unique opportunity to see and experience the things people come from all over the world to see but without the crowds!

Imagine a full and less interrupted experience of places like Uluru, The Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef, Kakadu, Sydney Opera House, The Great Ocean Road, The Whitsundays, Margaret River and The Barossa. But if you are looking for a weekender or something more low key then it is a great idea to visit those places hardest hit by bushfires followed by Covid-19 and spend as much as you can with the local businesses.

We will be releasing specials soon as they become available. Please visit www.anthonysmithtravel.com.au
and sign up to our newsletter or reach out if you are planning any travel, we are fully up to date on state travel restrictions and can make your booking process much simpler and save you from sifting through all of the constantly changing information. Follow us as we release our #Backyardreboot2020 Australian Guided Holidays and #Backyardreboot2020 Australian Package Holidays campaigns.

A great resource to keep on top of state restrictions is www.interstatequarantine.org.au