Investigations by the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) and monitoring by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) have led to two companies being suspended from the Approved Destination Status (ADS) scheme for immigration and tourism quality breaches.
Package Travel has been suspended for 12 months for both immigration and tourism quality-related breaches. Travel Mart Pty Ltd has been suspended for three months for tourism quality issues. Both operators are based in Sydney, NSW.
The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, said: "My department takes ADS breaches very seriously. The best advertisement for Australian tourism is a quality experience that makes every visitor an ambassador for Australia. By monitoring and ensuring compliance with the ADS Code, we are helping create ambassadors in our fastest-growing tourist market.
"In a year when Australia saw declines in the Japanese, South Korean and UK inbound markets, Chinese arrivals in financial year 2007-08 increased by 36 700 visitors to 375 100. This shows not only the importance of the market but also why the Australian Government takes breaches of the ADS scheme so seriously."
ADS is a bilateral agreement between Australia and the People's Republic of China which facilitates the leisure travel of organised tour groups from China to Australia.
To comply with the ADS Code of Business Standards and Ethics (the Code), tour operators are required to ensure integrity, competition, fair trading and immigration compliance in the inbound Chinese tour market.
To be ADS-approved as an inbound tour operator, all operators sign a declaration agreeing to comply with, and uphold, the Code. Compliance checks are carried out by the Compliance Monitoring Agency, contracted by RET to maintain the integrity of the Code. Immigration breaches are issued by DIAC.
A total of 53 Australian tour operators are currently approved under ADS and these companies are monitored throughout the year. Under the code, the Minister for Tourism notifies the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship when operators have been cited for non-compliance in regards to tourism quality issues.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans said continued non-compliance results in a breach which may lead to a suspension.
"Following investigations, I am suspending two agencies for continually failing to meet their obligations," Senator Evans said.