As part of the Albanese Government’s $48 million package for Australia’s tourism and travel industry, $10 million in funding going to the development of a national one-stop digital hub for tourism, travel and hospitality employers and workers.
This grant has been provided to Accommodation Australia to expand and promote its existing online platform, ‘The Hub.’
The Hub will serve as a national online skills and employment platform for the tourism, travel, and hospitality industry. It will connect workers with jobs, as well as upskilling and training opportunities for the homegrown and international workers that the industry needs.
Accommodation Australia has appointed digital project manager James Lawton to spearhead the project.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed that tourism employment rose from 443,000 jobs in 2021-22, to 626,000 in 2022-23, from a peak of 700,900 in 2018-19, highlighting the need to support and retain these workers, as well as attract new workers to what is a vibrant and dynamic industry with a range of career opportunities.
The Australian Government have already rolled out a number of initiatives in support of rebuilding the industry’s workforce following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the $7.5 million ‘Choose Tourism’ program, which is being delivered in partnership with the States and Territories.
Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson said the Association executed a $10m grant with Austrade last week to develop and promote the platform over the next three years and beyond.
“The employment platform will be a one-stop shop for people across the visitor economy in the hospitality, tourism and travel sectors,” said Johnson.
“It will allow employers, existing and prospective workers, students and international visitors to connect to education, employment and other vital career information.
“This will help with our two biggest challenges by boosting the hospitality, tourism and travel workforce and promoting careers in the industry for the next generations to come.
“Now we have received the grant and appointed James as project manager we are all systems go.
“I would like to acknowledge and thank the Australian Government for their funding and support of the project and welcome James to this exciting role.”
