Focus and themes

The Workforce & employment (W&E) SIG creates a supportive Australasian community of experienced researchers, Early career researchers (ECRs), PhD scholars and industry affiliates, to enhance the visibility of, and channel research, advocacy and impact on, the tourism industries’ workforce. The W&E SIG seeks to inspire more colleagues to pursue TH&E workforce-related research and/or recognise how their research should be more cognisant of employment considerations.

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Key outcomes

Members will benefit from a network (and access to kindred networks) dedicated to the interests of tourism workforce and employment research and education. Members can access the W&E SIG LinkedIn group alerting them to the latest research in the space, to potential collaborative colleagues when commencing projects and/or planning funding applications for grants, policy developments and calls for submissions.

The SIG will be democratically guided by its membership in terms of priorities and activities. It will at a minimum host a workshop at each annual CAUTHE Conference and coinciding with the CAUTHE Mid-year Meeting. Further potential activities may include special workshops and symposia, particularly encouraging ECR, PhD scholar and industry/government participation, special issues/edited books, white paper submissions and industry forums.

Past activities

2026

• Meeting at the CAUTHE 2026 Conference at 5.00 – 6.00 PM on 11 February 2026 at the National Wine Centre Adelaide on the theme Reframing & Advancing Hospitality and Tourism Workforce Research: Toward a More Human-Centered, Inclusive and Positive Future. The SIG Leadership Group, Ashokkumar Manoharan, Kate Yoo, Olivier Oren, Maria Golubovskaya, Anna Kralj, David Solnet, Richard Robinson, Shelagh Mooney, Sam Vivas Imparato and Anastasia Kulichyova lead an engaging discussion on shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future for hospitality and tourism work. Key discussion topics included the future of jobs, job quality and meaning, wage equity, social protection and social dialogue. This session set research priorities that bridge theory, practice, and policy and align with a forthcoming JHTM special issue on the same theme. Download flyer.

2025

• Presentation by Tim Myatt, Austrade at the CAUTHE 2025 Conference at 16:00-17:30 on Wednesday 12 February, Brisbane focssed on Austrade’s role in the VE; THRIVE 2030 and its vision for workforce; Key data and stats on tourism workforce and Government initiative supporting tourism workforce   Download agenda

2024

• Inaugural SIG meeting at CAUTHE 2024 Conference, Thursday 8 February, 4:00-5:30pm to include a welcome to the first meeting of the W&E SIG and a brainstorming session for SIG 2024 goals, networking opportunities and potential seminars.

Founding coordinators

Dr Anna Kralj (Griffith University), Associate Professor Shelagh Mooney (Auckland University Technology), Associate Professor Richard Robinson and Professor David Solnet (The University of Queensland).

Date founded: 30 May 2023

Resources

• Robinson, R.N.S., Dale, N., Richardson, S. & Solnet, D. et al., with Baum. T. (2022). Addressing Structural and Cultural Workforce Issues in the Visitor and Hospitality Economies, Submission to National Jobs Summit Employment White Paper, Brisbane: CAUTHE. View submission.

SIG Coordinators

Assoc Prof Anna Kralj Griffith University

Associate Professor Shelagh Mooney Auckland University Technology

Associate Professor Richard Robinson The University of Queensland

Professor David Solnet The University of Queensland