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Peak industry body the Accommodation Association today thanked the NSW Government for continuing to listen to the sector and echoed the call for parallel Federal Government support for Australia’s hard-hit accommodation sector. The Association said today’s announcement of new Parents NSW and Stay NSW voucher programs as part of a $1 billion COVID business support package comes at a welcome time as NSW returns to work. However, more action is needed from the Federal Government, with our industry bearing a double financial burden stemming from reduced consumer confidence and the Omicron induced hotel workforce wipeout, with operators losing more than 1 in 3 staff.
Quotes attributable to Richard Munro, CEO, Accommodation Association 
“On behalf of hotels across NSW, I sincerely thank the NSW government for providing this support for our sector. Accommodation specific support like these vouchers shows the Perrottet Government are listening to and aware of the unique plight facing our industry.”
“Right now, our members are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Ongoing staffing issues and a lack of consumer confidence in travel means the Accommodation Association are calling on the Federal Government to acknowledge that they too must do their part to support the businesses that support so much of our country; from staff and their families to regional destinations, hospitality businesses to suppliers and drivers.”
“The accommodation industry understands this pandemic is far from over, so we’ve done our part to help mitigate the impact on everyone where we can through hotel quarantine and recruitment schemes. Today’s support from the NSW Government helps us keep our doors open to keep employing, educating and engaging with the people of NSW in every community across the state.”
“Given the complexity and duration of the many issues that have knocked so many of our hotels for six and which will continue to do so for some time, we also hope the Federal Government will acknowledge the significance of the ongoing combination of dented consumer confidence, massive skills and workforce shortages, and the lack of international visitors and provide ongoing support.”
Edited by: Stephen Morton