Queenstown tourism operators offered help to fill vacancies

Queenstown tourism operators offered help to fill job vacancies

Queenstown tourism operators are being granted a Christmas wish – a helping hand to fill job vacancies through the resort’s busiest season.

Many Queenstown hotels, activities and attractions are facing difficulties in filling short-term vacancies this summer. With record numbers of visitors expected to fill the town, the situation is becoming critical for employers striving to provide outstanding visitor experiences.

To help overcome the difficulties, the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) has reached an agreement with Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry of Social Development to temporarily streamline procedures around filling vacancies.

The arrangement will make it easier for Queenstown tourism employers to hire working holidaymakers for short-term roles where no suitable New Zealand candidates are available this season. It will speed up the current Labour Market Check process where employers have to demonstrate they cannot find a New Zealander to fill the vacancy.

The arrangement will begin immediately and continue until the end of June 2015.

TIA Policy & Research Manager Simon Wallace and TIA Hotel Sector Manager Sally Attfield say the agreement will cure many headaches for TIA members in Queenstown and Wanaka.

“Employers have been telling us that the processes they need to go through are time-consuming, especially for many skilled job vacancies. Queenstown has a limited pool of New Zealand job candidates and Kiwi job-hunters from further afield may not be in a position to move to Queenstown, especially given the scarcity and high costs of accommodation,” they say.

“Holidaymakers holding work visas are a lifeline for Queenstown employers looking to fill short-term positions, so it’s a real benefit if we can make it easier for them to fill such vacancies.”

TIA’s work to reach this agreement has been supported by the Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TEC). Chief Executive Lesley Immink says it’s crucial for employers to be fully staffed through the peak season.

“We all want to ensure our visitors have the best possible experience of their New Zealand holiday. That means offering excellent service standards at every point of their trip, in their accommodation, and while they are out and about,” Ms Immink says.

“We are delighted that the government has listened to our concerns and is taking steps to find a short-term solution. In the meantime we will work with government agencies on developing longer term solutions to address workforce needs in the tourism industry”.

TIA is embarking on a People and Skills Strategy to address structural issues concerning the supply and skills of tourism labour. In order to achieve Tourism 2025’s aspirational goal of $41 billion in visitor expenditure by 2025, the industry needs the right people in the right place at the right time.

ENDS

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