Training Local Workers as a Solution

Regional hospitality businesses across Australia are grappling with significant staff shortages, despite robust tourism demand and growth in the accommodation and food services sector as of 31st May 2026.

The Accommodation and Food Services industry currently employs nearly one million Australians, with tourism-related employment reaching 736,800 jobs by late 2025. However, many regional venues continue to struggle with finding suitably skilled staff.

Hospitality Courses Australia is advocating for increased investment in training local workers to address these staffing challenges. Director Samuel Bohr has highlighted the potential for developing domestic talent alongside skilled migration pathways.

Key Skills in Demand

Regional businesses face notable capability gaps in areas such as food safety, barista skills, kitchen operations, customer service, and leadership. These gaps make it difficult for cafes, restaurants, hotels, and other tourism-dependent businesses to hire qualified staff.

“Migration will continue to play an important role in supporting Australia’s workforce needs, but there is also enormous opportunity to develop local talent,” said Mr. Bohr, highlighting the benefits for both job seekers and employers.

Practical, industry-recognised training is seen as a vital tool for helping job seekers acquire necessary skills, thereby providing employers with job-ready staff. This approach promises to bolster regional economic growth and service quality as visitor numbers rise.

As discussions on national migration and workforce needs continue, industry leaders stress the importance of creating a reliable pipeline of trained hospitality workers to support regional communities.

Samuel Bohr noted that many hospitality roles can be entered relatively quickly with the right training. This benefits both job seekers looking to enter the workforce and employers needing skilled workers.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the continued growth in visitor demand has resulted in tourism-related employment reaching 736,800 by the end of 2025.

Regional hospitality businesses face a smaller labour pool, which makes recruitment challenging, particularly in communities heavily reliant on tourism.

Hospitality Courses Australia is calling for both skilled migration pathways and stronger domestic training pipelines to meet workforce needs.

Last updated: 29 June 2026, 11:57 am