Tourism minister Martin Ferguson has identified investment in skills and training as the best support the government can offer tourism in challenging times, as he unveiled a new $8.5 million training scheme.
Speaking at the National Tourism and Events Excellence Conference in Melbourne this morning, Ferguson applauded the efforts of Tourism Australia and the state and territory organisations in promoting Australia as an attractive destination.
But he stressed that tourism operators must deliver on the “promise of quality” that was being delivered in target markets, promising the government’s support in the form of investment in skills and training.
Ferguson said the Tourism and Hospitality Skills and Workforce Development Project would “help tourism operators remain competitive in a global market”.
“This program targets not only training, but also building better quality workplaces and workplace planning,’ he said.
The project includes an additional $1.7 million towards Australia’s Tourism Employment Plans with a further $4.4 million committed to a new advisory service offering one-on-one assistance to businesses determining current and future skills needs.
“Success on the supply side will help us deliver on the promise of quality we are promoting in these markets,” he said.
