National Tourism Restart Taskforce Established

Australian Chamber – Tourism, the national peak body for tourism organisations, is pleased to announce the formation of the Tourism Restart Taskforce. The Taskforce will provide advice to industry and Government on the short, medium and long-term priorities to rebuild tourism in Australia.

The Taskforce will be Chaired by industry icon, Jeremy Johnson AM, the Immediate Past President of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and former CEO of the major regional tourist attraction, Sovereign Hill.

Members of the Taskforce are:

• Dr Jeremy Johnson AM (Taskforce Chair) (ACCI Board, former CEO Sovereign Hill)
• The Hon. Bruce Baird AM (Business Events Sydney, TTF)
• Sarina Bratton AM (Ponant)
• Geoff Donaghy (BECA, ASM Global, ICC Sydney)
• Bob East (Tourism Australia)
• The Hon. Martin Ferguson AM (Tourist Accommodation Australia)
• Nikki Govan (Star of Greece)
• Denis Pierce (Australian Tourism Export Council)
• Graham (Skroo) Turner (Flight Centre)
• Jacqui Walshe (The Walshe Group)
• John Hart (Australian Chamber – Tourism)

John Hart, Executive Chair of Australian Chamber Tourism, said: “The Taskforce will liaise with many facets of the Government’s recovery machinery and will embrace the local, intrastate, interstate and international tourism restart effort.

“Travel, tourism, business events and hospitality have undoubtedly been the hardest hit by the COVID19 crisis.  Given they have traditionally been huge job generators, a successful restart will be an integral part of the nation’s economic recovery.

“Australian businesses in these sectors are either closed or have minimal trade due to the border closures, movement and gathering restrictions.”

The Chair of the Taskforce, Jeremy Johnson AM, said: “What is required now is a considered and careful plan to restart Australia’s third largest export industry and one of its biggest employers.

“The exceptional group of tourism leaders assembled in this Taskforce will give Australian tourism the best chance of positioning itself for long-term growth after the restart period.  Tourism Australia, working with the State Tourism Bodies and the visitor economy sector, will create the demand for visitation as we emerge from the COVID19 crisis; the Taskforce will focus on the structure to ensure all tourism businesses can deliver on that promise,” Mr Johnson said.