Queensland seeks to create 9000 hospitality jobs

With Queensland facing a hospitality crisis, experts are looking to proposed Brisbane tourism developments to create 9000 extra jobs in two years.

The big projects over the next five years include Queen’s Wharf, Howard Smith Wharves and the proposed Brisbane Live.

All of these are expected to create thousands of jobs.

Experts say the industry is having difficulty attracting young people because of its bad image, with poor pay and long hours being the dominant characteristics.

They say the industry needs to turn that around.

A world tourism forum, hosted in Brisbane on Friday, saw international experts, academics, industry leaders and government officials discussing the crisis and potential solutions.

World Tourism Forum Lucerne chief executive Martin Barth said he was impressed with the changes he had seen in Brisbane since he was last there 15 years ago.

I have seen good, sustainable development," Mr Barth told the Brisbane Times.

"I was impressed walking through South Bank, I saw not just tourists but people who already live here enjoying the beaches, barbecues, swimming areas, opera and theatre."

He said Queensland needed to make a major investment attracting young people to the industry.

"Queensland and Brisbane have to make sure to invest in the future generation of young talent as well as the bricks and buildings," he told the Brisbane Times.

"You have to make sure you have the right people and talents to work day and night in these restaurants, hotels and markets.”

"The image of working within the tourism industry has changed.

"A poor salary and long hours may be right, but there are also business and international opportunities, so let's tell that story and show the world how interesting the industry is.

"It's not just long hours and weekends, let's see what is important to the young generation and see what we need to do to make it sexy and attractive for them."

Leon Getler 4th June 2018.