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Tour Guides have been added to the Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) latest Occupation Shortage List (OSL) - a move recognising the severe shortage in these positions across the country.

The addition has been welcomed by the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) who note the shortage of tour guides, which was exacerbated by the pandemic has seen a lack of skilled workers, especially for multilingual guides

The SOL is a list of occupations in high demand across the country, used to determine eligibility for skilled migration visas, enabling foreign workers with specific skills to fill labour shortages in various industries.

ATEC Managing Director Peter Shelley advised “tour guides are critical to delivering high-quality experiences to international visitors, and the demand for skilled guides is growing.

“Ensuring we have enough well-trained tour guides will be essential to Australia’s recovery as a leading global tourism destination.”

With the gradual return of international visitors, especially from key markets like Europe, China and India, the need for qualified and knowledgeable tour guides has grown. The demand underscores the importance of training and upskilling workers in this field to ensure quality experiences for inbound tourists.

Russell Boswell of Savannah Guides adds “Tour Guides are critical to the delivery of high-quality experiences across Australia. Our tourism export revenue depends on the continued recruitment and training of a diverse workforce, including through immigration policy. Savannah Guides fully supports the inclusion of Tour Guides in the Skilled Occupation list.”

Greg Esnouf, President Tour Guides Australia shared “the addition of Tour Guides to the Occupation Shortage List comes at an important time for the Visitor Economy and is an important element of a broader strategy to increase the quantity and quality of tour guides in Australia. Tour Guides are Australia’s on the ground ambassadors bringing our natural environment and local culture to life. TGA welcomes the support of the Federal Government in addressing this critical need.”

ATEC convenes the Guide Advisory Group, which includes key industry stakeholders such as Austrade, Tourism Australia, Australian Cruise Association, Tour Guides Australia, Institute of Australian Tour Guides, Insight Australia, TAFE NSW, Savannah Guides, Flight Centre, RunAway Tours, Tourism Northern Territory and Intercruises.

ATEC also hosts the ATEC Tour Guide Directory, a comprehensive database of experienced and aspiring tour guides based in Australia.
Go to www.atec.net.au/training/tour-guides/tour-guide-directory/ for more information. 

More information on Tour Guides Australia

More information on Savannah Guides

Image. Credit: Savannah Guides

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