TTF calls for working holiday visa scheme changes
Australia’s peak national industry body, Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) has backed Tourism Australia’s Best Job in the World campaign but is calling for the federal government’s Working Holiday Makers (WHM) scheme to be extended.
TTF acting chief executive Trent Zimmerman said the new Tourism Australia campaign targeting the youth market "is vital to broaden Australia’s global appeal and create a new generation of international visitors".
"Young visitors spend more time and money in Australia than most other types of visitors, with many coming for an extended period as backpackers or students," Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman said Tourism Australia’s campaign would give fresh impetus to promoting Australia in a number of key markets, "generating new interest through the Best Jobs in the World initiative, especially among people considering coming to Australia for a working holiday".
"Working holiday makers (WHM) are an important segment of the youth market and we’d like to see a number of reforms to the WHM visa scheme to maximise its benefits.
"Ideally, it would be expanded to cover more of our growth markets in Asia, like China and Vietnam, while the caps on working holiday numbers from other Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia should be raised," Zimmerman said.
"There’s no reason older people shouldn’t also qualify to come to work in Australia, especially since there are 36,000 job vacancies across the country in tourism and hospitality, so we’d like to see the age limit raised or even removed.
"In addition, people on working holiday visas who are employed in tourism and hospitality in regional areas should qualify for a 12-month visa extension, the same bonus available to working holiday makers who work in agriculture, mining or forestry."
Ian Jarrett
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