Tourism & hospitality Expo roadshow starts May 11 –
Next week, from 11 – 13 May in Christchurch, Go with Tourism will kickstart New Zealand’s only free, dedicated careers expo for the tourism and hospitality industry, hoping to inspire a new generation of tourism and hospitality workers.
The expo, in partnership with New Zealand Careers Expo, will then move on to six more cities around the country: Palmerston North, Napier, Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.
With industry professionals, employers and educators on site, students and job seekers will discover a wide range of opportunities available, such as work experience, mentorships, job vacancies and tertiary studies.
As well as showing career pathways, the main objective of the expo is to change negative perceptions about tourism and hospitality work. Go with Tourism Program Director, Heidi Gillingham, says that the 2023 expo season will be the most important yet for achieving this.
“Covid hit our industry hard. 90,000 employees were displaced, job security was in doubt, and we’ve experienced a massive skills shortage since. With international travel back to normal in New Zealand – and heading towards pre-Covid numbers again – it’s crucial to attract talent back into our industry to meet visitor demand.
“Additionally, due to the opportunity to engage with younger learners, we hope to see an increase in students choosing Tourism at the NCEA level in the future, as a result. We want to help parents and students understand why the industry is so important to New Zealand – from building our economy to championing our culture.”
In 2022, the Go with Tourism Expo saw 28,667 people walk through the doors and Gillingham believes 2023 will be a busier year. “This year will be our first expo season not limited by pandemic restrictions, so we hope to welcome more visitors than ever before to discover the wide range of career and study opportunities available in tourism and hospitality.”
To find out more information on the Go with Tourism Expo, go to: gowithtourism.co.nz/expo
- 11 – 13 May, Christchurch Arena, Christchurch
- 18 May, Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North
- 23 May, Pettigrew Green Arena, Napier
- June 11-12, Claudelands Showgrounds, Hamilton
- 15-17 June, The Cloud, Auckland
- June 23-24, TSB Arena, Wellington
- 28 June, Dunedin Town Hall, Dunedin
Looming $160m excise tax hard to absorb says NZABC –
The year has just got more challenging for producers, hospitality businesses and consumers of beer, wines and spirits with the announcement that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is 6.7%.
“The 6.7% rise in the CPI is used as a benchmark to increase the excise tax on beer, wines and spirits. The excise tax was $1.24 billion in June 2022 and is forecast to be $1.4 billion the following year[1].
This will mean an extra $160 million in new taxes which are paid by producers and ultimately consumers. In this time of rapid inflation and a cost of living crisis, extra taxes are extremely hard to absorb,” says NZABC executive director Virginia Nicholls.
Excise is a duty imposed on locally produced and imported beer, wine and spirits products.
The annual excise tax adjustment is based on movements in the CPI (up to 31 March 2023) and starts on 1 July 2023.
“The continuing inflationary pressure, including rising ingredient and packaging costs, skill shortages, higher interest rates, and recent flooding and cyclones means that an increased excise tax will more than likely need to be passed onto consumers,” Mrs Nicholls said.
“It is not well known that the majority of beer, wine and spirits producers, hospitality providers and retailers are small and medium sized businesses”[2] [3]Mrs. Nicolls said.
“The wine, beer, spirits and beverages industry provided much needed jobs, including all important entry level opportunities in every small town, city center and suburb in between. This includes 1,865 businesses across small, medium and large businesses”[4]says Mrs. Nicolls.
The more than 10,000 directly employed in the industry[5] do a whole variety of jobs from orchard workers, involvement in winemaking/brewing/distilling, manufacture and packaging, scientists, accountants, marketing, transport and logistics, salespeople and retail. Indirectly 20,913 kiwis are also employed.
The industry also sustains a productive and innovative domestic market and a growing export market.
“Only half (50%) of all kiwis realize that in addition to GST, there is an excise tax on beer, wine and spirits”[6]Mrs. Nicolls said.
Notes: [1] NZ Customs Service Rīpoata ā-tau Annual Report (June) 2022, p 167. Year ending June 2022 actual customs and excise duty on alcohol $1.24 billion and year ending June 2023 unaudited forecast of $1.4 billion, accessed 20 April 2023. https:// www.customs.govt.nz/contentassets/01619abba6a748e98ce7282629484d0c/2022-annual-report-print.pdf
[2] NZ Winegrowers (NZW) categorizes wineries by size, with small wineries classified as those who sell less than 200,000 liters of wine each year. In 2022 this accounts for 88% of wineries. NZW Annual Report 2022.
[3] According to Ratebeer as at 2021 there were 199 breweries in NZ (NZIER February 2022)
[4] NZ Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) report February 2022
[5] Ibid
[6] Conducted by Curia Market Research, December 2022, with 1250 respondents across NZ
Visa launches $30,000 hospitality scholarship –
Visa, supported by Visa Wellington on a Plate, has launched a new hospitality industry scholarship open to candidates across New Zealand, valued at NZD $30,000.
The Visa NZ Hospitality Scholarship aims to attract and retain more young people into the industry and support them to take up hospitality as a fully-fledged career. It includes a five-day placement at a top international hospitality venue, professional development, a one-year mentorship, business training and future participation in Visa Wellington On a Plate.
Visa’s Head of Marketing for Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Natalie Lockwood said, “As a proud partner of Visa Wellington On a Plate since 2009, we are excited by this new opportunity to inspire and uplift the wonderful young emerging talents across the country.
By providing access to a unique scholarship with international reach, this will have a positive impact not only on the scholarship winner, but on the wider hospitality industry as a whole.”
Wellington Visa On a Plate Festival Director Sarah Meikle says, “The scholarship is a welcome initiative that will help to attract and retain talent within the industry by providing hands-on industry training and ‘money-can’t-buy’ international experience.
“We know that working in hospitality can teach people so much, from people skills to finance, marketing and more. Whether you’re back or front of house, it’s an industry that can be incredibly rewarding and we are here to encourage that.”
The Scholarship Prize
The 2023 Visa NZ Hospitality Scholarship winner will win a prize tailored to their career interests, stage, and progression, including:
- A five-day work experience placement internationally at a restaurant or hospitality establishment (Including flights and accommodation).
- Attendance at an international professional development forum such as Food on the Edge or Tales of the Cocktail (including flights and accommodation).
- Professional skills development including a year-long mentorship. The experience will be catered to the Successful Applicant’s area of expertise within the Hospitality Industry.
- Access to a Social Media specialist for personal brand development coaching.
- Access to virtual business skills training, which includes access to EAP (mental wellbeing support), physical well-being support, career coaching and financial advice.
- A trip to Wellington for the 2023 Visa NZ Hospitality Scholarship Announcement including flights and accommodation.
The total prize value is NZ$30,000.
The scholarship is open to hospitality workers who are NZ residents, aged between 22 and 35 years of age at the time of their submission and have a minimum of two years’ experience working in the hospitality industry. Applications close at 11.59pm NZST on Monday 15 May 2023.
The scholarship winner announcement will be made on Thursday August 24, 2023.
For more information and full details on application criteria visit www.visawoap.com/visa-wellington-on-a-plate-hospitality-scholarship
$1.00 meals this weekend in Christchurch & Wellington –
A selection of popular food hotspots in Wellington and Christchurch have joined forces with DoorDash to provide a menu of items for just $1.00 each – this weekend only.
“We’re excited to launch $1 meals this weekend and urge Kiwis to get behind their favorite hospitality outlets,” says Rebecca Burrows, DoorDash General Manager New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
“We’ve got some amazing local eateries behind us and together we’re hoping to get their delicious food out to more Kiwis this weekend for only $1.”
From Friday 14thth to Sunday April 16, there will be a rotating roster of restaurants and $1 meals available, offering something new each day for fans to get their teeth stuck into. Some of the mouth-watering highlights in Wellington include legendary:
- Reburger and their Smashed Prince burger
- Hutt Rubs with pulled pork loaded with fries
- Gerry’s Charcoal Chicken and the infamous chicken and chips
- Mama Brown’s infamous southern fried chicken burger
- Lord of the Fries and their sampler munch box
- Abrakebaba and their classic go-to, meat on chips
Popular Wellington diner Mama Brown chose to join the promotion to encourage Kiwis to support locals this weekend and to help them celebrate a massive milestone for the restaurant.
“The $1 deal aligns with our 10-year anniversary, so what better way to celebrate and share the good vibes than treating people to our best-selling Southern Fried Chicken Burger for just one dollar?” says Queenie Lai, Mama Brown General Manager.
Further down the country, Christchurch’s $1 deals include:
- $2 Dumpling Rice’s famous lunch box
- Burger Station’s chicken burgers
- Lazeez and their fan favorite grilled chicken souvlaki
- Pot Sticker Dumpling Bar and their dozen matter dumplings
- Empire Chicken’s scrumptious tender box
Plus, many more options up for grabs exclusively on the DoorDash app.
New and existing DoorDash customers who order via the app from participating eateries between 2-5pm on Friday 14th to Sunday 16th April can claim $1 menu items.
NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship tickets: Cheapest tickets for LSU vs. Iowa in Dallas
The 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship will feature the No. 3 LSU Tigers vs. the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, April 2 (4/2/2023) at 3:30 pm ET.
Fans can buy cheap tickets to the March Madness women’s championship at resellers like StubHub, VividSeats, MEGASeats and SeatGeek. If you’re traveling for the game, get the best deals on flights from Expediaand find discounted Hotels with Hotels.com.
At publishing time, VividSeats had the cheapest tickets at $376, but prices are subject to change and availability.
Both these teams cleared through a No. 1 seed in the Final Four to advance to the Championship. LSU beat the Virginia Tech Hokies 79-72, while Iowa beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 77-73.
The games will air nationwide on ABC starting at 3:30 pm ET, and can be streamed live via fuboTV (free trial).
NCAA Tournament gearincluding new hats, t-shirts and jerseys for the 2023 Final Four can be found on fanatics.
You can bet on college basketball from your phone in New York State, and we’ve compiled some of the best introductory offers to help navigate your first bets from BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, PointsBet, Caesars and BetRivers.
MORE NCAA TOURNAMENT COVERAGE
How to watch No. 5 Miami vs. No. 4 UConn: Final Four time, TV, live stream
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March Madness Final Four tickets: Cheapest tickets for FAU-San Diego State, Miami-UConn in Houston
Best March Madness sportsbook promotions & bonuses: DraftKings, FanDuel + more
WynnBET Sportsbook promo For Miami vs. Uconn unleashes a $100 bonus
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Story by The Associated Press
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is the undeniable star of March Madness. Now she will get to play in April.
The Hawkeyes’ high-scoring guard, who was named the Associated Press Player of the Year this week, scored 41 points to lead the Hawkeyes over previously undefeated South Carolina 77-73 in the Final Four on Friday night. The loss denied South Carolina — the No. 1 team all season — a chance at a second straight title.
No. 2 seed Iowa will face LSU in Sunday’s title game after the third-seeded Tigers used a big fourth quarter to overtake top-seeded Virginia Tech 79-72.
Clark has wowed fans for the past month and certainly didn’t seem fascinated by any pressure against mighty South Carolina. She shot 15 of 31 from the field and hit four clutch free throws in the final minute to keep the Hawkeyes ahead.
LSU used a 29-point fourth quarter to rally for its win over Virginia Tech earlier Friday. Alexis Morris led the way with 27 points.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey has taken the Tigers to their first championship game in program history. The flamboyant coach won three national titles during 21 seasons at Baylor before returning to her home state.
GAMES TO WATCH
No. 2 Iowa (31-6) vs. No. 3 LSU (34-2), Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC
The Clark show rolls on to Sunday’s championship game. She’s obviously the focus of the Hawkeyes’ offense, but 6-foot-3 Monika Czinano also had a nice game against the Gamecocks with 18 points and three steals. LSU leans on star forward Angel Reese, who is averaging 23 points and nearly 16 rebounds. Morris was also superb in the Tigers’ semifinal win.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Clark was announced as AP player of the year on Thursday after receiving 20 votes from the 28-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. Reese has 113 points and 79 rebounds for LSU through five wins.
SHINING MOMENTS
Clark had the first 40-point triple-double in NCAA Tournament history to lead Iowa into its first Final Four appearance in 30 years. She followed that with 41 in the semifinals in a performance that somehow managed to live up to the ample hype.
Her stellar postseason has caught the attention of NBA stars. Kevin Durant and Chris Paul were talking about Clark’s performance in the locker room following the Suns’ win over the Nuggets on Friday.
“Incredible run that she’s on,” Durant said. “She’s playing phenomenal basketball, her team is rallying around her, so it’s going to be a good championship game.”
AWARDS SEASONS
Indiana’s Teri Moren was honored as the AP women’s basketball Coach of the Year after leading the school to its first Big Ten regular season championship in 40 years and its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Clark won AP Player of the Year after one of the greatest individual seasons in NCAA history with eye-popping offensive numbers, averaging 27.0 points, 8.3 assists and 7.5 rebounds during the regular season to help Iowa go 26-6.
GO DEEPER
Gun violence has cost lives and disrupted college sports all season, touching some of the top programs in college basketball. Coaches have been thrust into uncertain and unwelcome roles in trying to navigate the topic — as well as the fallout from the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
On a lighter note, the women’s tournament has been making a case for its own separate TV deal, and if you think you know the women’s tournament, try this 25-question quiz.
Want to hear from the athletes themselves? UCLA freshman Kiki Rice and injured UConn star Paige Bueckers have each written diaries for The AP about their “tourney journeys.”
VEGAS SAYS
Iowa has opened as a slight favorite — ranging from 1 1/2 to 2 points — according to sportsbooks.
HOW TO WATCH
The title game will be on a national network — ABC — for the first time since 1996.
Every game of the women’s tournament has been available on ESPN’s networks or streaming, with fans encouraged to navigate to the “Watch” tab on ESPN’s sites. There are multiple sites listing game times, channels and other details, including the NCAA site.
WHAT’S NEXT
Where is the women’s Final Four? In Dallas, where the championship game is Sunday. As it happens, the men’s Final Four is a four-hour drive down the road in Houston.
Southern Discoveries announce leadership changes –
One of New Zealand’s most experienced tourism professionals is retiring and a well known industry stalker is stepping into the role in July.
Queenstown’s Southern Discoveries owner, Skeggs Group has announced the retirement of CEO Tim Hunter and is delighted to confirm the appointment of former GM Sales and Marketing, Kerry Walker to the role of CEO.
Kerry has 25 years of tourism experience, the last four-and-a-half of which have been spent at Southern Discoveries. In the previous 15 years, she worked in a range of senior sales and marketing roles for Ngāi Tahu Tourism.
During her time with Southern Discoveries her sales and marketing skills have proved invaluable to the company, along with her strong industry networks.
Southern Discoveries has been owned and operated by the Skeggs Group since 2009 and company director David Skeggs says he welcomes Kerry into her new role.
“It is fantastic that we have been able to make an internal appointment and give Kerry the opportunity to showcase her unique skills and experience that will continue to drive the company forward,” he said.
Tim Hunter retires after seven years spent as Southern Discoveries’ CEO following extensive experience in the New Zealand aviation, coach transport and destination marketing sectors.
Those roles have included working as a commercial pilot in the Southern Lakes area, holding airline planning roles with Air New Zealand, and working in a number of senior general management roles, including GM Marketing with The Mount Cook Group during the 1990s.
Tim broadened his international market experience with Tourism New Zealand as Regional Manager for Americas & Europe and General Manager Operations, and in 2010 became Chief Executive of Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism (CCT).
“Tim has done a superb job of running the business during his tenure, especially during some very challenging times during Covid,” said David Skeggs.
“He would be the first to say he couldn’t have done it without the support of all his team and I’m sure he will be missed by all.”
Kerry says Southern Discoveries is an industry leader that delivers exceptional nature experiences in this “unique” part of New Zealand.
“I’ve always worked within businesses that show off the very best of New Zealand’s scenery, adventure and hospitality, and align with my values of preservation and social sustainability.
“Southern Discoveries fits that bill perfectly.” Kerry takes up her new role on July 17.
SkyCity welcomes Cassia –
Auckland’s award-winning Indian restaurant Cassia, led by Chef Sid Sahrawat, is moving to SkyCity.
The renowned restaurant in Auckland’s Fort Street was closed in January after severe weather events and flooding left the business inoperable, temporarily opening as a ‘Cassia Kitchen’ pop up in the private dining room at the Sahrawat’s restaurant, Sid at The French Café.
Owners, husband and wife duo Sid and Chand Sahrawat have now found a new permanent home for the much-loved restaurant and its 20-plus team members.
Cassia is scheduled to open in early May at the site formerly housed by The Grills and will continue to run its Cassia Kitchen pop up offering until the new restaurant is ready to open.
“Sid and Chand have changed the face of Indian cuisine in New Zealand with Cassia and we are thrilled to welcome them and their talented team to SkyCity. We know their fresh and interesting take on modern Indian cuisine will continue to delight our customers and all the loyal Cassia followers,” said David Allott, General Manager Hospitality, SkyCity.
“What is even more exciting is that this is going to be the first of many changes to come at our precinct, so we are thrilled to welcome Cassia to the SkyCity family,” he added.
“It’s great to join up with SkyCity,” said Sid Sahrawat. “It was really important for us to find a location where we could quickly get up and running again, but where there would be absolutely no change to the Cassia experience.
“It was also just as important to partner with people who are serious about great food, so we can’t wait to share SkyCity Federal Street with some of New Zealand’s best dining outlets.”
The race is now on to get Cassia ready to open in early May.
“We want to recreate the look, feel and warmth of the old Cassia but add a few new features to mark our new beginning,” said Sid.
Sid and Chand run several of Auckland’s most-awarded restaurants: Cassia, Sid at The French Café and Kol, as well as Cassia at Home, the couple’s lockdown-inspired curry sauces and spice kits range.
MBIE survey highlights hospo workplace challenges –
New Zealand now has better data on working conditions in tourism and hospitality, for those on the frontline as well as for managers, following a survey of more than 900 people working in the industry.
the Hey Tangata survey, conducted by AUT, was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and helps to inform the work of the Tourism Industry Transformation Plan Better Work Action Plan, launched by the Minister of Tourism Peeni Henare, today in Queenstown.
The Better Work Action Plan is a partnership between government, unions, industry and Māori and seeks to address workforce tourism challenges, including those highlighted by this research.
The 68-page survey report found that 59 per cent of staff were either planning to leave their job within a year or were unsure if they would stay. Of those planning to leave, about a third wanted out of the industry altogether.
“It is particularly worrying that senior staff want out at a similarly high rate to frontline staff,” says David Williamson, report co-author and a Senior Lecturer at AUT.
“The main reason people gave for wanting to leave the sector was that the workplace had bad conditions, stress or was a toxic environment. This was followed by bad pay and conditions and then by wanting a better work-life balance.”
Dr. Williamson said that although there was a lot of concern about the base pay rate among employees, people also felt that training or promotion was not recognized properly. Sometimes it was just $1 an hour extra for greatly increased responsibility, he says.
Hey Tangata is one of the largest surveys of employees in the sector to date. Participants in the survey were invited via a link circulated in the tourism and hospitality sector. It ran in mid-2022 with 902 employees sharing their experiences, generating 25,000 comments for analysis.
The report raises many concerns concerning employment relationships and work issues, including problematic pay and working conditions, disturbing reported rates of bullying and harassment and significant levels of non-compliance with basic employment laws. Its findings include:
- 9% did not sign employment agreements before starting work.
- 29% did not get paid correct holiday pay.
- 42% did not always get rest breaks.
- 45% are either elements or not planning to have a career in the sector.
- 27% thought they would leave their current job within the next 12 months, and a further 32% were undecided.
- Of those that said they would leave their current job, 34% were going to leave the sector and a further 47% were unsure if they’d stay in it.
- 23% had experienced bullying and harassment and 34% had witnessed it.
- When bullying and harassment was reported, 50% were elements or were not told if any action was taken afterward.
- Bullying and harassment was only reported half of the time.
- 53% didn’t know what the health and safety risks were in their workplace.
- 35% did not say that health and safety risks were well managed in their workplace.
- 13% had no training at all, and a further 38% have received only on the job training.
- Only 4% belonged to a union, but 43% indicated they’d be interested in joining one.
Hey Tangata also found that workers often got into hospitality and tourism in the first place because they wanted to work with people – but that wasn’t the only reason.
“We often talk about the casual nature of work as a negative, but for a significant number of employees this freedom and flexibility is a positive.
“It is also worth pointing out that our research found that 52% of workers had careers of six years or more in the industry, which looks poised to begin its return to being a major contributor to the New Zealand economy.”
The research was headed by Dr David Williamson from AUT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism, with Professor Erling Rasmussen from AUT’s New Zealand Work Research Institute.
It provides an overview of employment relations and working conditions in the tourism and hospitality sector at a crucial time as it re-emerges from Covid disruption.
Previous research by AUT, Voices From The Front Line, highlighted similar employment problems but looked only at frontline workers in the hospitality industry. Hey Tangata expands this to tourism as well as to managers, and looks at the issues in more depth.
In the latest Times Higher Education university rankings, AUT ranked first in New Zealand for its global research impact.
Hey Tangata can also be downloaded with this shortened link: auto.ac/hetangata