Skills shortage threatens tourism industry
Tourism and Transport Forum chief executive John Lee says Australia is suffering a national skills shortage because workers are fleeing the hospitality and tourism industries and heading off to work for high wages in the mining sector.
“It has led to a real vacuum in some parts of the tourism industry,” he said.
Reacting to reports that people who worked in the tourism industry in Ireland were unable to get visas to come to Australia to work as chefs, waiters or maitre d’s, Lee added, “The idea of fast-tracking visas not only for engineers for the mining boom but chefs and professional tourism staff we think is much needed.”
American Express World Services in Australia vice-president Christine Wakefield said, “The super-powered Australian dollar has upped the ante on Australian tourism operators,”
“Without an A-plus in customer service, travellers are unlikely to become repeat purchasers and will end up spending their money elsewhere.”
Lee said Australia has struggled to keep up with the rising quality of service standards in parts of Asia when it came to leisure-based tourism, particularly in regional areas.
.
“Australia is competing with Fiji, Indonesia, Thailand… the bar keeps rising and it’s really important in terms of customer service.”
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent