Britz and Maui campervan rentals boss backs more Qatar flights
The chief executive of THL, which operates a fleet of 7233 rental campervans and motorhomes, is backing the push to open Australia to more competition from international airlines such as Qatar Airways.
Grant Webster, whose company runs brands including Maui, Apollo, Britz and Mighty Camper and employs 2000 people in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada and Europe, said more international flights were a positive for the broader economy, not just tourism.
THL, which operates brand names including Britz, Maui, Apollo and Mighty Campers, is starting trials of electric campervans in December.
“Air capacity drives tourism. Open skies should be open skies,” Mr Webster said. “It’s not just the extra passengers. It’s the whole economy.”
He supports Qatar Airways’ application to operate more flights into Australia as a political storm rages over the Albanese government’s decision to block its request.
Flight Centre boss Graham Turner last week announced a national advertising campaign demanding the government reverse its decision.
Mr Webster said even though demand was rising, along with the length of rental times, the group’s vehicle fleet was still at only 60 per cent of the capacity it had in Australia before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two core customer segments, grey nomads and backpackers, were spending up, in contrast to many households cutting back discretionary spending amid cost-of-living pressures.
Mr Webster said commercial trials of an electric campervan would begin in December, but a transition to electrified vehicles for the industry was years away.
The group was benefiting from higher interest rates, partly because many retirees had better cash flow from the increase in income on deposits and retirement investments.
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