The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) granted authorisation of a five year alliance between Qantas Airways and Emirates.
ATEC welcomed the announcement by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) granting authorisation of a five year alliance between Qantas Airways and Emirates.
“ATEC is pleased with this decision, which will provide greatly improved access and connectivity across the Qantas network and help disperse more international visitors across Australia,” ATEC Managing Director, Felicia Mariani said.
“This alliance will enhance the ability of international visitors to access Australia through easy and direct routes which is an important element in opening up new and existing markets.
“Making new connections with Europe, via hubs in the Middle East, will help strengthen and rebuild some of the decline we have seen in our traditional markets more recently.”
Ms Mariani said ATEC had made a submission to the ACCC in support of this alliance as a positive move for Australia’s tourism industry, particularly in enabling greater regional dispersal.
“ATEC sees significant regional tourism benefits resulting from this alliance through improved schedules for inbound services that will support dispersal of international visitors to key regional and remote parts of Australia.
“Through the Qantas domestic network, regional destinations which are not serviced by Emirates, such as the Gold Coast, Cairns, Hobart, Alice Springs, Broome and Darwin, will now have the ability to connect directly with international visitors arriving with Emirates.
“This will be an important boost to regional centres that are currently under significant pressure in attracting overseas visitors who find connections to some of these areas simply too difficult.“
Ms Mariani said the alliance would also strengthen capacity in some traditional markets such as the UK and Europe, which have seen serious declines over the past three years.
“New connections, routes and interlining can ultimately support a turn-around in these declining markets and our industry can benefit from a renewed ability to access visitors from these important geographic regions.
“These connections will also support and build growth out of lucrative alternative markets in the Middle East region which have, as yet, been out of our reach from the perspective of convenient access connections to Australia.
“ATEC believes that Australian tourism needs to be supported by a strong, viable and locally-based carrier with interests in supporting the long term aims of the industry and a well-serviced and extensive network both domestically and internationally.”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
