Tourism Strategy identifies challenges

7 November 2007

Tourism Strategy 2015

Tourism Strategy identifies challenges

The New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 does an excellent job identifying the challenges faced for the tourism and hospitality industry to successfully deliver ongoing increased tourism value to the New Zealand economy, says Bruce Robertson, Chief Executive of the Hospitality Association.

Critical to the success of the strategy is improving business profitability, and finding and retaining the additional labour to meet the projected growth in tourism numbers. By 2011 the hospitality sector is expected to create a further 13,580 jobs, growing to a total 149,530. None of this will be easy in what is expected to continue to be a tight labour market.

It needs to be accepted that there is no single solution and the Hospitality Association is committed to assisting its members to reach their potential. Ultimately it is the decisions of individual tourism and hospitality businesses which will determine the success of this strategy.

It is up to Government and trade associations in the sector to work together to create an environment where individual businesses are empowered to make the best decisions and so realise the potential for their businesses and consequently for the New Zealand economy, concluded Mr Robertson.

ENDS

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