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Current vacancies: workforce challenges facing the Australian tourism sector
Seasonal workforce management, the use of migrant labour and the provision of career paths in the tourism sector are three of the big workforce challenges tackled in this House of Representatives report.
The report makes a total of 25 recommendations. It focuses on employment and training initiatives, labour shortages and skills demands, including the use of migrant labour, how to improve recruitment and retention and taxation incentives.
Tourism employers are facing workforce challenges created by the lack of labour caused by low unemployment rate and the regional nature of many tourism businesses. In a labour intense industry, this places employers under critical pressure.
Chair of the Committee, Hon Gary Hardgrave MP, commented "the inquiry examined how best to support continued employment growth in the industry and ensure Australia remains a top tourist destination, supported by people who are well trained and offered satisfying, long-term careers. A major concern is that a lack of suitable staff will undermine the industry’s ability to meet the expectations of service quality that tourism promotions have created in the minds of international visitors."
The report unanimously recommends:
• more comprehensive data compilation and analysis to support workforce planning;
• seasonal workforce and destination management planning;
• amendment of the Migration Occupations on Demand list to include skilled tourism occupations;
• extension of working holiday maker visas for those who undertake work in regional or remote areas;
• establishment of an industry leaders’ forum to take responsibility for promotion of careers in the industry and establishing a professional tourism body;
• research into the barriers to workforce participation of older workers;
• an inquiry into opportunities for growth in Indigenous tourism;
• amendment of the training funding model to one that is competency based and the provision of competency based apprenticeships; and
• the introduction of tax averaging arrangements for rural and remote tourism operators.
