Queensland island resort seeks staff

A report in the Courier Mail says that as Queensland’s island resorts battle an industry-wide staff shortage, the state’s newest luxury getaway has been seeking to recruit 100 experienced staff.

The Oatley family’s Qualia resort on Hamilton Island, in the Whitsundays, will open next month and manager Amanda Silk has already been drawing on her extensive contacts to snare the best available staff.

So far the resort has hired people from Broome, Sydney and the Queen Mary II.

Ms Silk said she hoped its brand new single studio accommodation would help lure top-calibre staff.

The $75 million resort includes 60 accommodation pavilions, two restaurants, gym, yoga centre and spa.

Ms Silk said the resort would deliver impeccable service.

“It will set a new benchmark for luxury accommodation,” Ms Silk said.

Qualia’s search for staff comes after the parliamentary committee on employment recently handed down its recommendations about workforce challenges facing Australia’s tourism sector.

Among the recommendations were changes to the skilled migration criteria to include occupations in demand in the tourism sector.

The report, Current Vacancies: Workforce Challenges Facing the Australian Tourism Sector, said employers were under critical pressure from a lack of workers caused by a low unemployment rate and the regional nature of many tourism businesses.

It also suggested researching the benefits of staff retention and investigating a seasonal visa for low-skilled tourism workers.

Tourism and Transport Forum Australia managing director Christopher Brown said yesterday the seasonal visa would allow employers to take on low-skilled workers from other markets.

“Demand for tourism is booming . . . and it is imperative that government and industry act now to ensure we can service this demand,” Mr Brown said.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive officer Daniel Gschwind said tourism businesses were stretched to the limits in terms of finding staff.

“The situation is predicted to get worse, particularly in regional areas, so we have to act now,” Mr Gschwind said.

Australian Tourism Export Council managing director Matthew Hingerty said he hoped the Federal Government would accept the recommendations.

Mr Hingerty said parts of the tourism industry were struggling under a labour crisis.

“Around half a million Australians are currently directly employed by the tourism industry, many in regional areas, and most employers are small to medium enterprises without the big bucks to invest in recruiting and training staff,” Mr Hingerty said.

Report by The Mole