The tourism industry has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to extend fuel excise relief until August, giving Australians more confidence to plan winter travel and support regional tourism operators.
Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia CEO Margy Osmond said the extension would provide much-needed certainty for businesses relying on visitors during the critical school holiday period.
“This is a good outcome. Keeping fuel relief in place until August will help more families and travellers feel confident to plan a road trip this winter,” Ms Osmond said.
“And it’ll give regional tourism operators more certainty during one of the most important travel periods of the year.
“While the level of relief has stepped down, this extension recognises that Australians and businesses are still under pressure and should provide a smoother transition as fuel prices continue to stabilise.
“Including support for heavy vehicle operators is also a welcome step. This will help support the businesses that keep Australia moving, from tourism operators to the communities they serve.”
The Federal Government has extended the temporary fuel excise relief measure until 2 August, with the fuel excise discount reducing to 16 cents per litre and the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge also reduced by 16 cents per litre during the period.
Ms Osmond said the announcement would help protect travel demand for entire regional communities who rely on visitors throughout winter.
“It’s not just tourism operators who rely on travellers during the winter school holidays, but all the local businesses in surrounding regions reap the benefits, whether it’s from families heading to the snow or chasing warmer weather further north,” she said.
“When families decide not to travel, the impact is felt far beyond the fuel pump. It flows through to accommodation providers, attractions, hospitality venues and small businesses right across regional Australia.”
TTF research released earlier this week showed that if fuel prices rise significantly, more than one third (37%) of Australians said they would take fewer road trips, while 27% said they would delay their travel plans altogether.
28% of travellers said they would choose destinations closer to home while 21% would reduce their spending on accommodation or dining.
Ms Osmond said alongside fuel relief, improving Australians’ access to reliable information on fuel prices and availability remained critical.
“TTF continues to call for a nationally consistent fuel information platform to give motorists real-time updates about fuel prices and availability across the country,” she said.
“State, territory and federal ministers have already discussed the platform and recognised the value it could provide to travellers. We now need to urgently work together to turn that support into a practical tool for Australians planning their next trip.
“Australia has no shortage of incredible regional destinations, so anything we can do to give travellers even more confidence that they can get from A to B without unnecessary stress or surprise costs, all helps.”
ENDS