A KPMG report which concludes that the travel agent profession has experienced the biggest decline of any major occupation, has been slammed by both TAANZ and the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA).
The KPMG report highlights a 10-year reduction in travel agent roles, however AITA says the report is misleading, given that the latest industry snapshot in the report was captured in Aug 2021, when international borders were still closed and more than one third of the agent work force had been let go. As those in the trade well know, things have changed dramatically since, with AITA saying demand for travel professionals is stronger than ever, and Australians are using accredited agents at record levels.
On a local front TAANZ ceo Julie White (pictured) says the KPMG report’s portrayal of travel agents as a declining profession is not only outdated but also ‘fails to reflect the reality of a sector that has shown remarkable resilience and resurgence post C-19’. “Like our colleagues at ATIA, we’re seeing strong and sustained demand for accredited travel professionals in New Zealand.” Since the reopening of borders, White notes that the complexity of travel planning, coupled with a renewed focus on personalised service and consumer protection, has seen more Kiwis turn to expert agents. “Far from being in decline, we’re witnessing a transformation— where trusted travel advisors are more valued than ever,” she adds.
. . . Staffing Issue
While commenting on the report, White highlights one of the collective industry’s real concerns, and that’s attracting new people to the sector. “The industry’s challenge isn’t relevance—it’s forward-looking workforce strategy, recruiting and training enough skilled professionals to meet growing demand,” she says. “This is a growth sector, and the data clearly supports that trajectory in both New Zealand and Australia.” In fact, White says the IATA settlement data for New Zealand shows that, as of year-to-date Mar 2025, international transactional volume has increased by 13.3% on Mar 2024 ‘and a remarkable 32% increase compared to 2023’. “These numbers speak for themselves; travel agents are not in decline, they’re in demand.”
. . . Tasman
In the Aussie context AITA ceo Dean Long argues that it’s currently the ‘golden age of travel professionals’. “The demand for travel agents and advisors has never been higher and the biggest challenge we face is not declining relevance, but an urgent workforce shortfall that we continue to work hard to have addressed so Australian travel businesses can meet this growing demand.” Presently, AITA data shows over 70% of international air sales and more than 90% of corporate travel bookings are still made through agents with last year seeing ATIA members book a massive AUD13.5 billion in retail travel and AUD11.8 billion in corporate travel, as well as AUD5.6 billion in land operations.
