CATO Leadership Team proactively engages with key Government Stakeholders to Foster Collaboration and Progress

Monday, March 18, 2024

Last week, the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) convened in Canberra to engage with key government departments regarding the status of the land-supply sector within the Australian Travel Industry.

CATO’s extensive efforts in cultivating strong relationships have earned it widespread recognition across various governmental domains, owing to its deep expertise and nuanced understanding of global travel distribution dynamics.

In a proactive move to bolster outbound leisure travel, CATO’s leadership conducted fruitful discussions with Austrade to assess the effectiveness of the Reviving International Travel Grant (RITG) program. The dialogue primarily focused on potential expansions of the program to enhance opportunities for successful grantees within CATO’s membership base.

During a significant visit to the Egyptian Embassy, CATO delegates underscored the robust growth in tourism traffic to Egypt, with a noteworthy 42% increase recorded in 2023 compared to 2018, effectively matching pre-pandemic levels from 2019. Discussions with His Excellency Mr. Hani Nagi, the newly appointed Ambassador to Australia, shed light on Egypt’s positive tourism sector trajectory, including the anticipated launch of the new Egyptian Museum (GEM) and other pivotal developments.

Conversations also touched upon the disparity between DFAT’s Smarttraveller advice level concerning Egypt and those of other countries in the region, recognizing Egypt’s pivotal role in attracting tourism to the Middle East. The Ambassador highlighted the Egyptian Government’s ongoing efforts to foster growth, safeguard, and enhance the tourism industry.

Brett Jardine CATO Managing Director remarked “At a recent meeting DFAT confirmed to CATO that the Smarttraveller advice on Egypt is due for review in coming weeks.  In light of this, discussions were held on how CATO, its members and the Egyptian Embassy can work together to further boost Australian tourism to Egypt and the surrounding region.” 

Throughout the mission, CATO engaged in a fruitful meeting with Tourism Research Australia (TRA) to enhance existing project blueprints for a comprehensive economic impact analysis and subsequent report aimed at bolstering outbound leisure travel.

The envisioned economic impact analysis seeks to leverage diverse data outlets, promising invaluable perspectives into the industry’s present condition and forthcoming direction. This endeavor is geared towards equipping stakeholders with empirically-grounded tactics for fostering sustainable expansion.

CATO maintains its unwavering dedication to advancing endeavors that cultivate resilience and prosperity within Australia’s travel sector. Through collaborative efforts with pivotal partners and the utilization of data-driven methodologies, CATO Advocacy stands ready to guide the industry towards a dynamic and enduring future.

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