UK Free Trade Deal to boost Australian hotels
Reciprocal provisions in the agreement will allow working holiday makers aged up to 35 years of age to travel between Australia and the UK for up to three years
This week the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) and Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) welcomed the commencement of the historic Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement.
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AHA National CEO Stephen Ferguson said the agreement would deliver lasting and significant benefits to Australia’s hotels, pubs, bars, taverns and restaurants.
He said: “This agreement enhances connections between Australia and the UK, one of our largest and oldest trading partners and a country with which our accommodation and hospitality industry has very strong links.
“I commend the Federal Labor Government, spearheaded by the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, for finalising the agreement at a critical point in the recovery of our industry.”
“We particularly welcome reciprocal provisions in the agreement that will allow working holiday makers aged up to 35 years of age to travel between Australia and the UK for up to three years.”
Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson said Australia’s accommodation sector will derive great benefits from having greater access to UK working holidaymakers, where workforce requirements cannot be met by locals.
“Australia’s hotels have enjoyed a long history of employing UK backpackers in all parts of the country, including regional and remote areas where employees are difficult to source,” Mr Johnson said.
“There are countless stories of UK working holiday makers being employed in Australian hotels, contributing to the fabric of their local communities and even finding love while they are here.”
“This agreement will see more backpackers travelling down under and making these important contributions, which is fantastic news for hotels and hospitality venues across the country.”
Mandy has over two decades of experience in accommodation and tourism industry writing, and she is also an accomplished editor and publisher. As co-Director of Multimedia Pty Ltd, a trusted B2B content provider for the accommodation and education sectors in Australia and New Zealand, she oversees high-quality print and digital content across notable publications, including AccomNews, Resort News, and School News, along with the property listing platform AccomProperties. Mandy’s contributions have been recognised with the Female Leader Award at the Best of Tourism 2023 and the ARAMA Life Member Award in 2024.