The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) and the Australian Travel Education Pty Ltd (ATE), owned by Rick Myatt, announced that they are pursuing individual paths, after 17 years of collaboration on training initiatives for the travel-and-tourism sector.

These changes reflect the evolution of the travel-and-tourism sector and the need for both ATIA and Rick Myatt to focus on their respective strengths in delivering value to the industry.

ATIA will continue to advocate for the industry and support its members through accreditation and the recently announced Project A30. 

Myatt, on the other hand, will continue to pursue his work at the Australian Travel Careers Council (ATCC), focusing on fostering the next generation of travel professionals through education, career programs and advocacy for industry-relevant training frameworks.

Nevertheless, both ATIA and ATCC remain aligned in their shared goal of advancing the Australian travel-and-tourism sector while embarking on their distinct next phases.

Guidance for the next generation

ATCC has been inspiring and guiding students into careers in Travel and Tourism, particularly in regional and rural areas.

Among the initiatives Myatt is championing through ATCC are:

• Travel Ambassador Programme: A long-running industry-education-engagement program targeting Tourism-pathway students in High Schools, encouraging them to choose Travel as their career of choice
• Overseas Technical Study Tours (OTST): A program offering international study tours for students in Years 10–12, VET colleges and universities. Following a successful pilot in Canada and the US this year, the next tour will visit Japan for the Osaka Exposition in 2025; and
• Addressing competency gaps: Working with GDS providers and the National Education Standards Authority (NESA) to streamline qualifications for HSC Travel students, ensuring smoother pathways into careers in the sector.