Conference looks at needs of tourism

Press, 20 September 1985, Page 5

Conference looks at needs of tourism

Growth industries of today, such as tourism, run the risk of becoming “dead ducks” tomorrow, according to Professor Ron Moore, of the Unversity of Otago. He was addressing a tourist industry conference in Christchurch yesterday. “Any industry must at times stop and review what it is doing,” Professor Moore said. “New Zealand’s tourist industry would stand high on a world scale for its educational foundation. “In the meantime we have to build on that foundation.” To help achieve this, the Aviation and Travel Industry Board and related bodies have commmissioned Professor Moore to conduct a training needs analysis of the New Zealand tourism industry. The two-day conference is the first of its kind to be organised for the industry in New Zealand. It includes more than 100 people, who are discussing Professor Moore’s preliminary report. Priorities and requirements for tourism will be drawn up from these dicussions. The report was a study of

the industry’s efficiency, Professor Moore said. “I tried to establish the gaps between desired and actual performance

There are a lot of common problems throughout the industry, including language translation and social skills training. “We need to analyse what makes some people more successful with their social skills, such as a good coach driver. By finding out what makes such a person a high performer we can pass on those skills in the training.” Mrs Margaret Austin, Labour member of Parliament for Yaldhurst, told the conference that the Government’s role should be to provide a better framework to support the industry’s training efforts. “Some symptoms of our inadequate training system are beginning to emerge. For example, the Government has been pressured into allowing employment of skilled and semi-skilled people from overseas in the industry,” she said. Many employers tended to regard investment in training as the first expendable item, Mrs Austin said.

“There are several barriers to the developmment of a comprehensive and integrated training system. A Government paper, to be produced early next year, will deal with these issues. “It will outline the type of regional, national and local structure that we might develop to support training programmes. It is hoped that this paper will stimulate widespread debate.” The conference will continue today with summary addresses by Professor Moore and the conference chairman, Mr Jim Thompson, followed by a closing address by the Minister of Tourism, Mr Moore.