Visitor Economy Workforce and Skills Interim Action Plan
Visitor Economy Workforce and Skills Interim Action Plan
Visitor Economy Workforce and Skills Interim Action Plan
June 2023
Under THRIVE 2030, the national visitor economy strategy, the THRIVE 2030 Workforce and Skills
Technical Working Group (the Working Group) guides the development of a long-term visitor
economy workforce and skills strategy (the long-term strategy).
The Government is developing its framework for building a bigger, better trained and more
productive workforce for Australia, through the development of an Employment White Paper, led
by Treasury. This will be complemented by a review of Australia’s Migration System and a
Strategy: A Migration System for Australia’s Future, led by the Department of Home Affairs. In
light of these key pieces of work, the Working Group agreed to delay the development of the long-
term strategy until after the release of the Employment White Paper (due September 2023) to
ensure the strategy reflects the framework set out in the Employment White Paper.
Noting the criticality of workforce shortages in the visitor economy, in the interim, the Working
Group agreed to develop this Visitor Economy Workforce and Skills Interim Action Plan (Action
Plan) to capture and facilitate immediate action to build workforce capability in the visitor
economy. The Action Plan is intended to be in place for a duration of 12 to 18 months.
This Action Plan is informed by extensive stakeholder consultation, including the Tourism Jobs
Summit led by Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, on 30 August 2022.
Working Group members helped to facilitate the Summit which was attended by 70
representatives from tourism industry associations, unions, business, academia, the Australian
Government and state and territory governments, and produced recommendations which have
been included in the Action Plan.
Themes and actions set out below reflect key priorities in building visitor economy workforce
capability, including the Australian Government’s support for attracting people to work in tourism.
The Action Plan also reflects state and territory government and industry association workforce
and skills strategies and activities, including the Tourism Training Australia/Australian Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Tourism & Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy. 1
Key dependencies
There are key dependencies that have informed the Action Plan and will influence the
development of the long-term strategy.
The release of the Employment White Paper by Treasury, anticipated for September 2023, is
expected to include a framework and policy approaches relevant to building tourism workforce
capability over the long term.
A further dependency is the outcomes of the review of the Migration System and the Migration
Strategy: A Migration System for a more prosperous and secure Australia, which will establish the
core principles on which Australia’s migration system will rest.
1 Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Strategy, Tourism Training Australia & Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) –
Tourism, 2021
Visitor Economy Workforce and Skills Interim Action Plan – 2023-24
1
Strategic intent
Throughout the industry consultations undertaken for THRIVE 2030, we heard that workforce
shortages were the greatest barrier to the Australian visitor economy’s recovery. THRIVE 2030
includes the policy priority to “grow a secure and resilient workforce”. The intended impact of the
strategy is to contribute to efforts to ensure that visitor economy businesses have a stable supply
of appropriately skilled workers to deliver high-quality experiences.
This Action Plan focuses on five key themes to address workforce and skills issues. The table
below focuses on the objectives, issues, actions, deliverables and potential measurements which
will contribute to the development of the long-term strategy.
This Action Plan also incorporates and takes forward immediate Australian Government workforce
measures to support the tourism and travel industry to return to its economic powerhouse status.
Themes
The Action Plan has five themes, drawn from those identified at the Tourism Jobs Summit, the
Jobs and Skills Summit and the development of the Employment White Paper. The themes are:
The visitor economy has historically faced workforce shortages and challenges in attracting and
retaining staff, including due to the seasonal and/or casual nature of many roles. This has led to a
reliance on migrants – including skilled migrant workers and temporary visitors – and short-term,
casual staff to address ongoing workforce shortages. Structural challenges were highlighted and
exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with higher job losses for part-time tourism jobs
(205,900) than full-time (187,700) at the low point of the pandemic (June 2020) 2.
In an environment of “full employment” across the Australian economy, there are opportunities to
build an Australian workforce by increasing participation from underrepresented cohorts including
mature workers, First Nations Australians, people with disability, young workers, and women.
Participation rates for some of these cohorts are lower than the rest of the population. For
example, women experienced greater tourism job losses (232,400) than men (161,200) at the
low point of the pandemic3. Facilitating access to employment domestically from underrepresented
cohorts leads to a more resilient workforce.
Overseas workers, particularly Working Holiday Makers and international students, have
traditionally comprised around 10 per cent4 of the national workforce in the visitor economy. They
are a mobile cohort who fill seasonal roles and gaps in the unskilled and semi-skilled labour
markets, often in regional Australia. They often stay in temporary or short-term accommodation
2 Quarterly Tourism Labour Statistics – December 2022, TRA analysis of ABS data release
3 Quarterly Tourism Labour Statistics – December 2022, TRA summary of ABS data release
4 Reimagining the Visitor Economy – Expert Panel Report – A report from the Hon Martin Ferguson AM, September 2021
2
designed specifically for this purpose. Many international students seek roles between study
periods. Ensuring the continuity of this agile workforce is vital for the sustainability of the visitor
economy. The visitor economy also has a range of specialised roles that are hard to fill, for which
the skilled migration program is essential.
A key requirement for a world-class workforce is ensuring training and education are aligned to
industry requirements of the future, and having people with the right skills to address visitor
needs as they evolve. This requires relevant and accessible high-quality training – whether formal
training, apprenticeships, micro-credentials and/or work-based training. It also needs
consideration of the varied job roles that comprise the visitor economy, and the different
specialisations, training and skill sets required. Improving workforce capability also helps to
address structural issues. To ensure capability efforts also respond to workforce supply issues,
training should be culturally appropriate and inclusive, including for young workers, mature
workers, people with disability and First Nations Australians.
In a highly competitive job market, people pursue jobs that offer better job security, more
consistency and increased pay, while international workers are looking to other countries for work
experiences5. To build a more resilient workforce, there is an opportunity to both raise the profile
of what it means to have a career in the visitor economy, whether as a small business owner or in
a global business, and highlight the opportunities these roles present. Changing perceptions of
careers and opportunities will assist to create a more sustainable workforce pipeline. Jobs in the
First Nations tourism sector create more than just employment opportunities: they allow young
people to locate themselves where they can remain connected to kin and culture.
The opportunities identified in the Action Plan reflect the range of issues that Austrade has
identified from the:
5 Reimagining the Visitor Economy – Expert Panel Report – A report from the Hon Martin Ferguson AM, September 2021
Visitor Economy Workforce and Skills Interim Action Plan – 2023-24
3
Addressing Workforce Addressing Workforce Addressing Workforce Skills: Improving Career of Choice: Promoting
Supply: Structural Supply: Domestic Workforce Supply: International Workforce Capability the Visitor Economy
Challenges Workforce
OBJECTIVE
Improve structural challenges faced by The visitor economy has access to a Australia is an attractive The visitor economy is resourced The visitor economy is an attractive
the visitor economy. secure and resilient domestic destination for an international with a modern and well skilled career choice with multiple professional
workforce. workforce. workforce that is resilient and pathways.
adaptable when faced with
changing market forces.
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRESS
• Consider structural issues around • Seek opportunities to see how • Promote the Government’s • Encourage employers to • Initiatives that raise the profile of
visitor economy roles including domestic workers could be brought future Migration Strategy, provide further inclusive, the industry that will help attract
wages, job security, working back to the visitor economy, and associated reforms, to accessible and culturally more Australians to either choose
conditions and perceived lack of including the domestic workers attract skilled migrants to appropriate on the job training or return to the visitor economy.
long-term career options. These that moved out of the visitor Australia (led by Home for staff and build business • Clearly communicate the benefits
were also findings in the economy during the pandemic to Affairs). capability to grow capacity and of working in the visitor economy.
Reimagining the Visitor Economy more secure and better paying • Better promote information invest in their business. Ensure Working in the visitor economy
Expert Panel Report. sectors. about the Pacific Australia accessibility of training and provides flexibility, the opportunity
• Consider structural barriers, such • Identify and market the visitor Labour Mobility (PALM) upskilling to those cohorts who to travel, and can contribute to
as the lack of affordable housing economy to underrepresented scheme to businesses. may face disproportionate beneficial outcomes for
particularly in the regions, which cohorts such as older Australians, barriers. communities, First Nations
present issues to achieving a more First Nations Australians, women • Encourage mutual recognition Australians, and lead to increased
secure workforce. and those with disability, as a by states and territories for awareness of issues like
viable employment option. foundational credentials to sustainability. Better promotion of
• Tourism Training Australia/ACCI’s support mobility of workers the benefits could also help with
Tourism & Hospitality Workforce across jurisdictions, especially retention of workers.
Development Strategy has in relation to seasonal • Any measures to promote the
identified that more needs to be hospitality work, and continue visitor economy as a career of
done to encourage to identify opportunities for choice must be underpinned by an
underrepresented cohorts into the addressing cross-border skills adherence to the standards
tourism workforce. challenges for visitor economy expected of employers,
roles. Tourism Training encompassing compliance with
• Improve opportunities for
Australia/ACCI’s Tourism & awards, superannuation
Vocational Education and Training
Hospitality Workforce obligations, and workplace health
(VET) students to complete
Development Strategy has and safety.
tourism qualifications through
identified a skills mismatch as • Work with the states and
working with states and territories
a risk to the productivity territories to develop and
on traineeships and
benefit from investment in strengthen strategies to improve
apprenticeships.
skills development. worker retention, particularly in
regional areas, in conjunction with
industry.
including through strategic and Government is also delivering opportunities, education and
coordinated collaboration with a series of arts and cultural training pathways into the
industry – through the Visitor capability workshops to the industry. The program will
Economy Recovery and arts sector to uplift capability incorporate in-school
Reform Plan and Experience in storytelling (including presentations, industry career
Victoria 2033. marketing and promotion), guidance and school resources.
• The South Australian Tourism experience development • The Tasmanian Government
Workforce Directions Paper (including partnerships and Employer of Choice Program
calls for an investigation of the collaboration across industry) is a recognition and education
potential for different operators and experience optimisation program that connects,
to co-operate and share workers (customer experience and recognises, and supports
to ensure provision of optimal service quality).
Tasmanian employers to create
hours and to provide broader • The Tasmanian Government
and share work cultures which
experience to the employees. supported the creation of
attract and retain their people by
Visitor Experience Training
(VXT) by providing grant actively promoting a positive
funding to establish the work life balance. Recognition
training organisation to Awards are given annually, with
support the Tasmanian ongoing Employer of Choice
hospitality and tourism events throughout the state
industries. The Tasmanian where winners share their
Government continues to knowledge. Winners go through
provide grants to VXT to re-accreditation to demonstrate
operate and provide their ongoing commitment to the
subsidised short courses to standards.
the industries. • The Victorian Government’s
• Tourism WA has developed Young People in Tourism
the Hospitality Job Connect Pilot Program built upon the
Program, a free 5 day current professional
nationally accredited course development landscape for
providing participants with the students and emerging
basic skills and competencies professionals, delivered insight
to confidently secure a job in into how young people see the
the hospitality industry. It is future of the visitor economy
run regionally with the local and provides an evidence base
TAFE institute. for ongoing development of the
workforce pipeline.
INDUSTRY INITIATIVES
• Improve the capability of the • Establish up to 50 micro-credentials • Establish an initiative for tourism • Establish a workforce skills • Expand Accommodation
Quality Tourism Framework (QTF) to support better employment and hospitality employers to platform that includes training Australia’s ‘The HUB’ online
to support ongoing growth of the practices for tourism operators reimburse WHMs their visa fee, in a range of visitor economy platform to offer bespoke training
tourism industry (delivered by the (delivered by Tourism Training paid under specific conditions, compliance areas including and upskilling of workers in the
Australian Tourism Industry Australia/Victorian Government, attracting WHMs to visitor economy Responsible Service of Alcohol, visitor economy (delivered by
Council (ATIC)/Austrade, in delivered). roles (delivered by ACCI – Tourism, COVID Safe Operations and Accommodation Australia/
progress through funding). • Provide a pathway to accreditation delivered). Safe Food Handling. This work Austrade, in progress).
• Implement a Workforce as a professional tour guide through has the potential to feed into • Liaise with tourism industry
Development Strategy that sets a micro-credential training course mutual recognition (delivered groups to expand the HUB and
out the industry priorities for (delivered by Tour Guides Australia, by ACCI - Tourism, delivered). deliver a whole of industry
workforce development (THRIVE in progress). • Establish ongoing training platform for the visitor economy
2030 Action 3.2, delivered by the • Support people living with disability programs to assist tourism (delivered by Accommodation
Australian Chamber of Commerce with paid employment opportunities operators with becoming trade Australia, in progress).
and Industry – Tourism (ACCI – (delivered by Clubs Australia ready in specific markets and • Develop content on travel,
Tourism) and Tourism Training working closely with government segments, such as the Indian tourism and hospitality careers
Australia, in progress). and in partnership with non- market and the accessible and options (delivered by ACCI –
government entities, in progress). inclusive segment (delivered Tourism, ATEC and DEWR, in
by the Australian Tourism progress).
• Explore opportunities with
Export Council (ATEC),
government for clubs to access and • Continue to look for opportunities
delivered).
create employment pathways for to launch Go With Tourism in
underrepresented cohorts (delivered Australia (delivered by Tourism
by Clubs Australia, in progress). Training Australia and ATEC, in
progress).
POTENTIAL MEASUREMENTS
• Increased number of full-time and • Increased participation from • Increased number of international • Increased tourism sector • Increased number of students,
part-time tourism jobs as underrepresented cohorts, in the visa holders taking up work in the productivity as reported by international and domestic
measured by the ABS Tourism tourism workforce. tourism industry, and monitoring Tourism Research Australia. workers in the tourism industry.
Satellite Account and reported by visa processing times.
Tourism Research Australia
(TRA).