The funding is part of the Albanese Government’s $48 million package to boost Australia’s tourism industry, with a commitment to help the sector build a strong, secure and skilled workforce.

The financial boost is supporting the development of a national one-stop digital hub for tourism, travel and hospitality employers and workers.

This grant has been provided to Accommodation Australia – the peak industry employer body representing all sectors of tourism accommodation businesses in Australia – to expand and promote its existing online platform, The Hub, which will serve as a national online skills and employment platform for the tourism, travel and hospitality industry.

It will connect workers with jobs and provide upskilling and training opportunities for local and international workers.

“The employment platform will be a one-stop shop for people across the visitor economy in the hospitality, tourism and travel sectors,” says Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson.

“It will allow employers, existing and prospective workers, students and international visitors to connect to education, employment and other vital career information.

“This will help with our two biggest challenges by boosting the hospitality, tourism and travel workforce and promoting careers in the industry for next generations to come.”

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals tourism employment across the nation rose from 443,000 jobs in 2021-2022 to 626,000 in 2022-2023.

These figures peaked in 2018-2019, with 700,900 jobs, which highlights the need to support and retain these workers, while attracting new employees to the sector with a range of career opportunities.

The Federal Government has delivered other initiatives to support rebuilding the industry’s workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic, including the $7.5 million Choose Tourism program to address workforce shortages.