Check 1: Who Are Your Customers and Clients
SITTIND001B Develop and update tourism industry knowledge
Feedback to Activity: Researching tourism industry bodies
Tourism bodies that may help you in your work
Tourism Research Australia (TRA)
Tourism Research Australia is a business unit of Tourism Australia providing superior research information that supports improved decision making, marketing and tourism industry performance for the Australian community. It provides superior research information including statistical and analytical information. This information supports improved decision making, marketing and tourism industry performance for the Australian community.
The TRA provides a range of publications – some free, others at a cost – which can provide invaluable information to assist in understanding visitor markets and trends in travel in Australia.
Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO)
CATO is an industry association of tour operators and tour wholesalers in Australia.
Members adhere to a code of ethics which outlines standards and appropriate behaviour in providing travel and tourism services to consumers. They have specialist expertise in all aspects of the tour and wholesaler sector of the travel industry.
Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC)
As you will learn in the next section, tourism is an important export for this country. This organisation is concerned with representing the interests of the range of businesses which comprise the inbound sector of the Australian tourism industry.
So once again, if you work for a business whose major source of visitors are overseas travellers, then you may be interested to know what ways this body is lobbying government or what ways it is facilitating the exchange of ideas.
Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA)
This trade association is comprised of travel agencies, as well as other sectors of the industry selling travel including airlines and wholesalers. The aim of the Federation is to promote travel and tourism and enhance the professionalism and profitability of its members by representing their interests to government and other sectors of the industry.
If you work in retail travel then you are most likely to be interested in attending the seminars and workshops run by AFTA, reading their newsletter to stay up-to-date, and supporting their advertising campaigns on television and other media.
Just as importantly, you will need to read and abide by the code of ethics that AFTA has developed for their members in their business dealings with customers and suppliers.
Meetings and Events Australia (MEA)
This is a national body, which is independent and a not for profit organisation. It was established to represent the interests of individuals, associations and companies involved in the meetings industry.
So if you work for a professional conference organiser or a supplier of meetings related services and facilities, you will probably be interested in the activities of the MEA.
Activities are similar to those described above for AFTA.
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
IATA is an international trade body, created over 60 years ago by a group of airlines. Today, IATA represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic. The organisation, also leads, represents and serves the airline industry in general.
IATA seeks to improve awareness of the benefits that aviation brings to national and global economies. It fights for the interests of airlines across the globe, challenging unreasonable rules and charges, holding regulators and governments to account, and striving for sensible regulation.
IATA’s aim is to help airlines help themselves by simplifying processes and increasing passenger convenience while reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Australian Hotels Association (AHA)
The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) is recognised as the leading authority on hospitality and tourism issues with Government and Opposition political parties, media and industry.
AHA represents well over 8500 ‘pub-style’, boutique public hotels and 3, 4 and 5 Star accommodation hotels throughout Australia. It communicates via membership publications.
AHA develops and prepares policy documents on key issues affecting the industry to the Government. It is effective because this sector contributes a high percentage of revenue through Government taxes and has strong associations with key Commonwealth Departments and agencies.
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