TAA’s final board meeting for 2020 is also its first ‘face to face’ since the pandemic began!
Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) held its last board meeting of the year at the Association’s new offices in Sydney’s Castlereagh Street this week, with the future of corporate travel, the need for more regional working holiday makers and the impacts of COVID all high on the agenda.
TAA CEO Michael Johnson said the meeting brought together some of the brightest minds in the industry to chart the way forward for the sector in 2021.
He said: “There is no doubt 2020 has been the toughest year the accommodation industry has ever faced.”
The national board meeting was the first time board members were able to come together face-to-face since the pandemic started back in March.
“A range of issues were discussed including the proposed New Zealand travel bubble, the recent opening of inter-state borders and the continuing impact of the pandemic on our workforce,” Mr Johnson said.
“Concerns were also raised about what the future of corporate travel will look like with members canvassing a range of options to increase conferencing and events in state capitals.
“The need for more working holiday makers in regional areas in particular was also discussed – including the results of a recent AHA/TAA survey of more than 150 regional hospitality businesses which found a shortfall of 1172 workers. One business alone had 25 positions needing to be filled.”
Mr Johnson said the meeting, chaired by TAA’s Martin Ferguson, also discussed the proposed merger with the Accommodation Association (AA) with the Board told talks were “progressing well.”
The two hour meeting was followed by a dinner hosted by Treasury Wines.
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