Funding for Go with Tourism a goner as pre-election spending cuts bite

Go with Tourism helped develop young staff for the industry. Photo / Chris Gorman

A jobs platform that helped to develop the tourism and hospitality workforce had its government funding cut before the election after finding work for thousands of people.

The Go with Tourism programme, which specialised in growing the tourism workforce, was developed and launched by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s predecessor, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Ateed) to tackle skills shortages across the Auckland region.

Four months after its launch in April 2019, the Government announced the initiative would receive $5.2 million from the International Visitor and Conservation Levy to expand the programme nationwide.

In October 2022, the scheme was awarded an additional $2 million from the levy to continue its work, but its budget was cut beyond October as the Government scrambled to trim public spending before the election. Funding was administered through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

National has made no promises in its manifesto about renewed funding for such schemes and it is unclear who the next tourism minister could be.

Annie Dundas, head of visitor economy at Tātaki Unlimited, says the end of Go with Tourism is a loss for New Zealand’s tourism sector, which plays a crucial role in the nation’s economy.

“While tourism contributed an estimated $15 billion in GDP to the New Zealand economy in the year ending March 2020, there’s still a real need for supportive national policies and programmes to help the sector achieve its full potential,” she said.

The programme played an important role in educating people on tourism career options and opportunities, and promoting tourism as a career of choice.

“We hope to see industry, educators and government continue to collaborate and support crucial efforts to rebuild the sector’s workforce,” said Dundas.

Nick Hill, chief executive of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, said that since its launch, Go with Tourism had played a pivotal role in building the Auckland and New Zealand tourism workforce.

It placed 2211 jobseekers into new roles. It also reached more than 267,000 people through career events.

Jason Hill, the managing director of recruitment specialists Tourism Talent, said the end of funding for Go with Tourism would leave a void.

The platform had been effective in informing young Kiwis about the long-term opportunities in the industry and preparing them for jobs.

Rebecca Ingram, the chief executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa, said it was “very disappointing” to hear that the funding wasn’t continued.

“Workforce remains a major issue for many tourism businesses and the wind-down of Go with Tourism is a loss for the tourism sector.”

Hill said Go with Tourism also played an important role in supporting the tourism industry through Covid-19.

“When the global pandemic hit, it forced Go with Tourism to temporarily shift its strategy to redeploying displaced tourism and hospitality workers into other jobs. By July 2020, the team returned to their original mandate, achieving incredible wins for the sector, partnering with thousands of businesses and establishing itself in classrooms around New Zealand.”

He said nine people worked at Go with Tourism, which was led by Heidi Gillingham, who was recently announced as a finalist in the 2023 emerging tourism leader award category of the New Zealand Tourism Awards.

Heather Kirkham, general manager tourism at MBIE, said more than $7 million of government funding had been provided to Go with Tourism, which had played a valuable role in building the tourism. workforce since it was established in 2019.

This financial support was always intended to be temporary, to help the scheme find its feet and move towards a more sustainable funding model.

In July this year, the Government declined Go with Tourism’s request to fully fund its costs for the next three years.

“This decision was based on current government priorities, the current fiscal environment, and the absence of co-funding options and a pathway to transition Go with Tourism to a sustainable funding model.”

MBIE’s role was to implement the policies and decisions of the Government of the day, she said.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa now holds Go with Tourism assets and intellectual property and will continue to promote tourism as a career for young people.

The loss of funding for the talent development agency comes as others in the industry call for a rethink of how tourism is sustainably funded.

Hotel Council Aotearoa has called for political consensus on long-term sustainable funding that could include a nationwide levy on all accommodation providers.