Sarah Courtney,Minister for Small Business, Hospitality and Events
The Tasmanian Government welcomes today's announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA) and Hospitality New Zealand (Hospitality NZ).
Tasmania's hospitality sector is a significant contributor to the economy, investing around $480 million into Tasmanian salaries and contributing $744 million to the State's Gross State Product.
Prior to COVID-19, the sector had 2167 operating businesses in the State, employing 8 per cent of the total Tasmanian workforce.
Our nation-leading tourism and hospitality industry remains one of our greatest competitive strengths and this Government is its strongest supporter.
As we look to rebuild our vital hospitality sector, the formalisation of this partnership through the MoU is a positive step forward and will provide benefits for the THA, Hospitality NZ and the broader industry.
The impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry has been as significant in New Zealand as it has been here in Tasmania and the signing of the MoU will be an important tool in sharing learnings and knowledge and will further enhance industry collaboration as we continue to navigate a pathway through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The partnership will also complement our plan for direct flights between our two destinations, enabling Kiwis to experience Tasmania's world class hospitality industry and vice versa.
I thank the THA, as the peak industry body for hotels, restaurants, pubs and clubs, for their ongoing advocacy and proactive approach in representing the interests of the sector.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to supporting our vital hospitality industry in the immediate and short term as we move through the recovery phase, and in the long term to build a strong and resilient sector for the future.
