The Go with Tourism Workforce Wānanga will take place in Auckland on 17 & 18 NovemberIt will bring together the Tourism & Hospitality industry, associations, educators, unions, local and central governmentThe Wānanga will identify both short-term and long-term solutions for workforce challengesAttendees will work together to develop a unified vision
On 17 and 18 November, great minds from around New Zealand will attend the Go with Tourism Workforce Wānanga in Auckland
to address workforce challenges within Tourism & Hospitality.
The two-day event will develop solutions to improve and build the workforce.
Statistics show that four out of ten Tourism & Hospitality jobs were lost in 2020, equating to 90,000 workers displaced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is estimated that 80,000 new workers will be required by the
time New Zealand fully opens its borders to international visitors; despite this, hundreds of operators are struggling
to hire experienced staff.
“You only need to read recent headlines to know the hardships our industry is going through,” says Go with Tourism
Programme Director Matt Stenton. “The Go with Tourism Workforce Wānanga is our opportunity to provide Tourism & Hospitality with the direction we need to future-proof our workforce and make ours a sector of choice for New
Zealanders, who deserve good careers.
“The outcome of this event will be solutions that will unite the industry, will support our education system and any
pathway into employment, and will align with our government’s current vision. These will form plans that will represent
a unified voice of all who have a stake in the Tourism & Hospitality workforce.
“He waka eke noa! We’re in the same boat, so we invite everyone to pick up a paddle to reach our destination.”
Key topics that will be addressed at the wānanga include:How New Zealanders perceive Tourism & Hospitality careersTourism & Hospitality curriculums in schools and tertiary institutesOnboarding, reskilling or upskilling staffRemuneration and work/home life balanceSupport for staff who move across the country for their roleHow to become less reliant on migrant workers
The Go with Tourism Workforce Wānanga will be invite-only and participants will work together across two business days.
Day One will involve a full day of collaboration, debate and conceptualisation; Day Two will see solutions presented to
Minister of Tourism Stuart Nash and senior industry leaders.
Tourism Minister Stuart Nash supports the wānanga; “It’s a great opportunity for people to come together to develop
positive solutions that will inspire and encourage people to choose tourism or hospitality as a career.
“There’s an incredible variety of roles in the sector, and it’s important to have a workforce that’s skilled, rewarded
and valued. Increasing the capability of the workforce is one of the goals of the New Zealand Aotearoa Tourism Strategy,
and I look forward to seeing the outcome from the wānanga.”
Solutions developed at the Go with Tourism Workforce Wānanga will be collated into two action plans. One for long-term
goals; the other will focus on immediate action and will be tasked to the industry one month after the event.
The Go with Tourism Workforce Wānanga is sponsored by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment and supported by Auckland Unlimited. The event will be carbon offset, thanks to a partnership with Tasman
Environmental Management and their technology partner Tomahawk.
The wānanga will go ahead no matter the alert level, with organisers currently preparing a COVID-friendly online plan.
For further information, please visit the official webpage for the event: bit.ly/WorkforceWānanga21