QHA_Review March_2021

Bernie Hogan and Michael Nasser of the Barron Valley Hotel, Atherton
LET’S GET BACK TO BUSINESS
AS CRAZY AS IT
MAY SEEM, IN
SOME AREAS
OF THE STATE
IT IS ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE TO
FIND STAFF.
2021 started with a degree of optimism. We saw the back of 2020 and were hoping
to be able to rebuild our battered industry. Our accommodation members and hotels
expressed this to the QHA clearly over the past couple of months. Most importantly,
members simply want business back.
Queensland has been fortunate that public sentiment has remained positive toward
the constant COVID restrictions. Outbreaks of the disease have been minimal and
contained on the back of excellent work by the quarantine hotels throughout the state,
Queensland Health and the broader hospitality industry.
However, to see more Queenslanders get back to work this year, we need our industry
running at full capacity. Accommodation providers need business travel to resume.
Domestic tourism will not replace this vital business as well as the drop in international
tourism. The third burning issue is having an available workforce. As crazy as it may
seem, in some areas of the state it is almost impossible to find staff.
So how do we do this? It is time to revisit capacity limits at venues and functions.
We have been told many times that our quarantine system and the border controls
are there to keep us safe. Well, let us trust the system. QHA will continue to talk to
the Queensland Government about proportionate responses to outbreaks and how
we can build capacity. Confidence across the state plummeted after the lockdown of
Greater Brisbane in January; we must reduce the possibility of this happening again.
QHA are making suggestions to Government on the best practices we see throughout
the world. Travel promotion, quarantine standards or contact tracing technology –
nothing is off the table as long as we can safely get back to business.
BERNIE HOGAN
QHA CHIEF EXECUTIVE/EDITOR
QHA REVIEW | 3