Too many tourists, not enough workers: 'We're definitely going to have a gap'

The government is aiming to have 4.78 million tourists by 2034, but questions remain over who will cater for them.

Photo: 123rf.com

The tourism workforce will not be big enough to cater for growing plane loads of travellers if more work is not done to attract additional staff, an industry leader says.

The government wants international visitors numbers to return to pre-Covid levels this year.

The goal is to then grow those arrivals to 4.78 million by 2034 - nearly 900,000 more than the 2019 benchmark.

About one in nine people currently work across tourism and hospitality.

But Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram said there might not be enough workers in the industry to cater for them.

"We're definitely going to have a gap if we continue the way we're going so we need to put some focus on it and that's why at (Tourism Industry Aotearoa), we have been focusing on it," she said.

"We have been focusing on vocational. We have been focusing on what's needed in the classroom."

The main gaps were expected in the larger centres where there were more visits, but she said the industry was figuring out where the pressure points would be and the extent of the gap.

The industry also wanted to work with the government on the incoming changes to education in schools.

"How is tourism going to be taught in schools? What components can we expect for the tourism industry and how can we be part of guiding and building those together so that how tourism is represented in skills is going to provide us with a diverse range of students who can see multiple pathways for their career," Ingram said.

There also needed to be quality on-the-job training on offer to help retain and upskill staff, and good immigration pathways if they could not find enough local workers, she said.

Tourism Talent managing director Jason Hill said more mahi was needed to entice workers.

"For whatever reason, we do have a perception that maybe we don't pay well, there's not many opportunities for growth, but I completely refute that because there's so many examples of people who are now successful in sales or marketing roles, leadership who started in hospitality so we've just got to do a better job of shining a light on the success stories," he said.

"I really do think the industry has to step up in this space and collectively combine funds to do something to shift some of those perceptions.

"I think everyone tends to lean on councils, governments, tourism industry associations."

He believed tourism should look to attract more people from outside the industry.

"We're recruiting for roles that are anything from $100,000 up to $300,000, $400,000 a year sometimes," Hill said.

"It is a myth that tourism is a low paid industry. There are places where, yeah, minimum wage is what you get, but there are certainly places where you can earn good money as well."

Debbie Robertson was about 14 when she started cleaning at a backpackers in the school holidays and on weekends.

She has since worked her way to become the general manager of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa in Rotorua.

There were heaps of different opportunities in tourism, but many people did not think beyond the entry level jobs on offer, she said.

"What I would love to see is more parents backing how important tourism and hospitality is," Robertson said.

"It employs around one in three people - tourism and hospitality in Rotorua. But when our rangatahi ... do the tourism course at high school, it's kind of like the 'side kicker', just get the credits.

"But it's actually a viable industry to be in."

The government also wanted to grow the number of kiwis in both tourism and hospitality.

The industries have had a reputation of poor pay, unsustainable hours and limited career progression.

Those concerns were echoed in a recent government study of workers, although the tourism workers did report having greater access to training and development pathways, and hospitality - particularly the fast food industry - represented close to 60 percent of respondents.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said the challenge was to attract, retain and grow its workforce.

"Unfortunately, across any sector you'll see some bad players, really want to see the sector lift the opportunities, not just for young people but across the board," she said.

Operators were feeling more optimistic, she said.

"If you think back to the work the sector's been doing over several years is really recognising and then addressing what some of those challenges are.

"We've been clear, we want the sector to grow. You can't grow unless you've got the people to deliver amazing service on the ground so that's definitely a focus.

The tourism industry was undergoing a refresh of its 2050 strategy, but said its goal to grow the tourism workforce would remain a key focus.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.