Tourism Accommodation Australia & Accommodation Association discuss next steps for merger

Peak accommodation bodies Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) and the Accommodation Association (AA) held a pivotal meeting on Tuesday to map out further steps toward their merger project.

More than 20 high-profile accommodation sector players and CEOs from across Australia gathered at TAA’s Culwulla chambers in Sydney to discuss the creation of Accommodation Australia.

Also high on the agenda was working with the new Federal Government and developing a combined strategy to combat the industry’s chronic worker shortage.

AA President Leanne Harwood, who will also be the first president of new peak body Accommodation Australia, chaired the meeting.

“Our two Associations are working closer than ever before and we are well on the way to creating something truly special,” said Harwood.

“The process is understandably slow, but the merger should be finalised by mid-next-year. While we remain separate bodies, we are already seeing the benefits of pooling our resources and our talent to get the best results for all our members across Australia.”

TAA CEO Michael Johnson said the chronic labour shortage in the sector and the housing rental crisis in regional areas impacting those workers were major topics of discussion.

“The rental shortage in many areas is making what was already a difficult situation even worse,” Johnson said.

“It is making it hard for hospitality businesses to convince workers to move to country towns across WA, NSW, Victoria and Queensland and it is adding another level of difficulty to the already tough task of finding staff.”

Johnson said the benefits of the TAA/AHA Power Purchase Agreement were outlined at the meeting along with a re-cap of the successful inclusion of AA venues in the recent TAA NSW Awards.

Upcoming joint events like No Vacancy and the AHA National Awards for Excellence were also discussed.

AA CEO Richard Munro said the meeting was the third time the national boards had come together.

“It is important we continue to meet to keep the merger on track, but it is equally important that we combine forces to tackle the very real problems our industry faces at the present,” said Munro.

“Our recovery is still being hampered by skilled staff shortages, Chinese tourism is virtually non-existent and rising inflation is biting into hotels bottom lines and the ability of people to travel and spend.”