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

The changes reflect the evolution of the travel-and-tourism sector and the need for both ATIA and Myatt able to focus on their respective strengths in delivering value to the industry, the two said in a statement.

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

“As the travel-and-tourism sector continues to evolve, it’s vital that organisations and individuals focus on their strengths to best serve the industry,” ATIA CEO Dean Long said. “We are very appreciative of Rick’s contributions to strengthening training within our sector and delighted to see Rick’s work evolve into ATCC.”

Myatt will 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.

“Our mission has always been to inspire and guide students and graduates into rewarding careers in Travel and Tourism, with initiatives like the Travel Ambassador Program, Overseas Technical Study Tours Program and other efforts to influence their career decisions,” Myatt said.

“ATCC is committed to preparing the workforce of the future and strengthening industry-education partnerships. We thank Dean for his stewardship and his efforts in ensuring our sector’s workforce-skill-shortages situation continues to be acknowledged at all levels of the Government.”

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

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.

Among the initiatives Myatt is championing through ATCC are:

Travel Ambassador Program: 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.

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.