Foreign help touted for Margaret River tour guide sector

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Foreign help touted for Margaret River tour guide sector

The tourism future of the Margaret River region could increasingly rely on foreign guides after the Federal Government recently placed the job on the national Occupational Shortage List for the first time.

The change allows skilled migrants to fill job gaps or allows holidaymakers already in love with the region to find a job supporting their permanent move here.

Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association chief executive Sharna Kearney welcomed the Government’s move.

“It is great that the Federal Government has recognised the importance of tour guides in providing authentic and memorable experiences to visitors, and the challenges businesses have faced in securing qualified guides,” she said.

“Ensuring that we have an adequate pool of qualified staff to draw from is a big step forward but affordable long-term accommodation remains a challenge, as does the ability of businesses to offer consistent hours due to the seasonal nature of visitation.”

Susan Rees from Tour Guides Australia said it was helpful for the Federal Government to recognise the importance of the role.

She said tour-guiding was a quality profession and attracted a skilled workforce.

“There’s a shortage of accredited professional guides currently and there is a perception it’s only part-time or occasional work,” she told the Times.

“In fact, I can attest to a real career path with full-time opportunities.

“Some of my colleagues have left corporate employment to become tour guides and are surprised at the flexibility and remuneration.”

One operator who asked not to be named said he preferred to develop and train people with strong links to the area partly because of visitor expectations of local knowledge.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Foreign #touted #Margaret #River #tour #guide #sector

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up