The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) is ensuring travel advisors are informed about foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) to keep Aussies travelling safely to Indonesia and Australia free from the highly contagious disease.
AFTA is keen to strike a balance between protecting Australia’s livestock and farmers from FMD, while keeping the critical Australia–Indonesia travel corridor open safely, and will continue to work with the Department of Agriculture to finesse resources for travel professionals.
As Australia implements its strongest-ever biosecurity measures to keep FMD out of the country, AFTA CEO Dean Long said travel advisors are doing what they can to raise awareness of the necessary steps required for travellers visiting Indonesia, including Bali.
These include counselling clients about not bringing meat, dairy or animal products into the country, cleaning any apparel used near animals or in rural areas and declaring any travel to rural areas or near farm animals.
“Australia’s travel agents and businesses and AFTA are proud to be doing what we can to help keep Australia safe from foot-and-mouth disease,” Mr Long said.
“There are simple steps that anyone coming into Australia from countries where foot-and-mouth exists, including Bali and Indonesia, must take to protect Australia’s livestock industries and avoid a flow-on effect that could cost Australia more than $80 billion if there were an outbreak here.”
“Closing the highly important Indonesian travel corridor at this stage would be a very blunt measure with massive economic and cultural damage to the Australian marketplace and travel sector.
“We obviously need to strike the right balance while also keeping the critical travel artery between Australia and Indonesia, including Bali, open safely.”
To find out more, visit afta.com.au
