Queensland’s spectacular tourism jobs boom

Having been down and out during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Queensland’s tourism industry is mounting a spectacular comeback.

Queensland’s tourism industry has made an incredible jobs revival with more people now employed in the sector than before the pandemic.

Despite thousands of lay-offs during the past two years, the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show there are now 5000 more people working in tourism and hospitality than the same time in 2019 and 35,000 more than in December 2020.

Tourism leaders say the figures are proof of the industry’s resilience and reflect the opening of new venues and attractions across the state.

However, despite the good signs, the figures do not account for any drop caused by the Omicron surge and there are still hundreds of operators struggling to attract staff.

An estimated 4200 tourism and hospitality jobs remained unfilled in December, though it is hoped relaxed border restrictions and the arrival of international visitors on student and migrant worker visas will help fill the void.

Grim jobs analysis from the Tourism and Transport Forum last year showed Queensland’s tourism and hospitality sectors had lost an estimated 40,000 jobs during the pandemic, but thousands more jobs have been created from businesses emerging from hibernation, the opening of new hotels and restaurants and the surprising success of some regions such as the Scenic Rim and Outback Queensland.

According to ABS stats, more than 233,000 people now work in Queensland’s tourism and hospitality sectors, making it one of the state’s biggest economic and employment drivers.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind said the new statistics were a tremendous success story for the sector.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind. Picture: Peter Wallis.

“It is amazing,” he said.

“We’re seeing this right across the state across an enormous range of careers.

“It’s showing that we as an industry can bounce back and I believe we will continue to make a strong comeback.”

Ingenia Holiday Parks is one of hundreds of tourism businesses putting the call out for more staff, hiring dozens of extra workers this summer.

The company, which has three parks across Queensland, has lured new employees with perks such as staff discounts, a rewards program and flexible rosters.

Fabiane Piana is glad she chose a job in tourism after rising through the ranks at Ingenia Rivershore holiday park. Picture: Lachie Millard

Ingenia’s general manager of tourism Matt Young said strong summer bookings had led to a hiring spree that was not without its challenges.

“Right across Queensland there is a strong demand for workers and there has been a critical shortage of staff at tourism businesses across the state,” he said.

“Competition for workers is at an all-time high in tourism and for that reason, we want to give people even more reason to come and work at Ingenia Holiday Parks.”

Fabiane Piana started working at Ingenia’s Rivershore park on the Sunshine Coast as a casual in 2019 and has risen through the ranks to become restaurant manager.

She said tourism was an industry with great career potential rather than just a stopgap for people looking for a short-term job.