“The
increase will be a barrier to the almost 1.2 million Australians who travel to
New Zealand annually,” says Mr Thompson. “Australia is our largest and most
valuable visitor market and our aim is to encourage travel here.”
He says the
Australian Government’s recent budget announcement that it was increasing its
passenger movement charge (PMC) from 1 July 2012 by A$8 to A$55 comes at a time
when TIA and the Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF) have been
lobbying for the tax to be cut.
“We have
been pushing for a seamless border experience that will increase the flow of
trans-Tasman travel, with streamlined border processing and ‘mates rates’ to
halve the PMC for Kiwis and Australians.
“Instead
the Australian Government has imposed this hefty increase on a tax that is
already high. A family of four Aussies holidaying in New Zealand will have to
pay NZ$280 departure tax just to leave their country.”
Mr Thompson
says he has briefed Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key on the
potential impact of the PMC increase and says Mr Key has advised he will take
it up with his Australian counterpart Julia Gillard.
“We are
pleased the Australian government will roll out additional SmartGate automated
passport control machines at its international airports. This is something TIA
and TTF have been advocating for as it will make travel easier, but the
negative impact of the PMC increase will far outweigh any benefits our tourism
industries might derive from this.
“Kiwi and
Australian holidaymakers will give the Australian government an additional
NZ$23.8 million in 2012-13 as a result of the PMC increase. While they have
said some of the money will go towards Tourism Australia, our experience with
the UK’s airport departure tax shows unfair tax grabs such as this disappear
into the government coffers.”
Mr Thompson
says increased travel flows between New Zealand and Australia would benefit
both nations economically and TIA and TTF will fight the PMC increase.
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