AACS Overseas Study Tour June – Cancellation

Jeff Rogut

AACS CEO

I know that a number of our Members are considering joining our Overseas Study tour to Europe in June, so I wanted to get this update to you as soon as possible.

Background

AACS has planned to take its annual overseas study tour to attend the NACS Europe conference in Berlin and then take an extension for our group to Oslo in Norway.

Since planning the tour, the world has been struck by the Coronavirus which continues to spread globally. It is yet to be declared a pandemic, however many countries including Australia are enacting emergency plans.

AACS actions

We have promoted the tour and have a number companies committed to attending as at today’s date with others keeping an eye on health developments.

Current situation:

The coronavirus spread continues unabated and some companies are now  looking to curtail employee overseas travel.

Traveller risk

There are potentially a number of countries/cities that travellers from Australia would enter before returning home as part of their travel plan  e.g. just looking at my proposed flights, Singapore, Berlin, Oslo, London. All are to some degree currently affected by the coronavirus and some are high volume hubs with travellers from around the world passing through.

Recommendation

Based on the current situation which shows no sign of abating in the few months we have before travelling, no vaccines or effective medications available for those infected,  I would not like to see AACS put our members at risk in such in environment and we will therefore cancel this tour.

It is very disappointing for us as we were looking at visiting areas that we had not previously been to with our study tour. Hopefully we can look to reschedule a tour to Europe  at a time when there is more certainty around the world on this disease and it is under control.

Our AACS Downunder Tour to Sydney is unaffected and there are still places available should you wish to join us on 14/15 May.