Tourism and Hospitality Minister, Matt Doocey, has welcomed new hospitality and tourism workforce data released today.
The 56-page Hospitality and Tourism Employment report, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, showcases the results from a 2024 survey of hospitality and tourism employees and their employment conditions in New Zealand.
The survey resulted in 1,031 valid responses from both managers and non-managers across all sub-sectors of hospitality and tourism. It captured views from a broad range of respondents, varying by demographics, roles, job levels and organisational types.
Information was collected about the contractual and relational nature of employment relationships in the hospitality and tourism sector, including wages, conditions, and employment experiences. This year, questions related to thriving at work, employee wellbeing, and environmental sustainability were also included.
Positive new findings from the Survey include:
- A very high percentage of respondents (91%) cared about being productive in their jobs;
- A very high percentage of respondents (90%) felt they had the skills to do their jobs with confidence;
- Over half of the respondents stated that they were often learning at work (61.4%), and 72.0% felt they were continually improving at work;
- When asked about environmental sustainability, 56.8% agreed that there were good practices in their workplaces, and 58.2% agreed that environmental sustainability is important when making employment decisions.
“Two of my key priorities include supporting the people who make up the tourism and hospitality workforce and growing the value of international tourism. In order to grow New Zealand’s international tourism we need a stronger workforce,” says Mr Doocey.
“It was particularly great to read most respondents reported good training opportunities at work and the percentage of respondents that indicated they intend to leave the hospitality and tourism sector dramatically reduced.
“I was also pleased to see 91% of respondents are focused on being productive in their jobs and 90% feel they have the skills to do their jobs with confidence.
“However, clearly there is room for improvement with the results showing job satisfaction is low and the levels of bullying and harassment in the workforce have not improved.
“Our tourism sector plays a vital role in showcasing the best of New Zealand to the world and driving our economy, contributing billions annually. It’s crucial that the workplaces behind it are safe, welcoming, and supportive for all.
“These results have come at a great time as I expect to work through this data next week with hospitality leaders and representatives at the upcoming Hospitality Summit at Parliament.
“As the tourism sector continues to bounce back, workforce will be a key part as we look to the future. I look forward to hearing directly from the sector tangible actions that can be done to deliver better outcomes for hospitality and tourism workers,” said Mr Doocey.
The Workforce Survey results can be found here.
