AFTA has lobbied for the word 'travel' to be added into education courses nationally, in a bid to further encourage young Australians to complete academic courses and replenish an ageing industry.

"We want to see an infiltration of the people with the same passion as the people in this room has," AFTA CEO, Jayson Westbury said, addressing Travellers Choice members at their annual shareholders' conference. 

Since closing all AFTA colleges, the body now only maintains intellectual property in a number of tourism related courses across the country, however Mr Westbury said the important focus was now to encourage more young Australians to contemplate studying travel when choosing further studies.

"One of the challenges AFTA will have a roll in is how as an industry association we can help epode moving on after they want to retire, and how we can repopulate the industry," Mr Westbury said.

"We aren't seen as a career that requires a whole range of academia, and we have to make sure that travel has a space there"