Guides added to work wish list

NORTHERN Rivers tour operators have welcomed news that tour guides have been added to the occupational shortage list.

The list, compiled by the Australian government, recognises roles in high demand across the country and is used to determine eligibility for skilled migration visas.

Alex Baker, who is director of experiences at Kiff & Culture, which offers tailored private tours in the Tweed Valley and Byron Bay, said many experienced and talented tour guides left the industry to find work in other sectors due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the slower than anticipated return of our international visitors to the area.

“These changes will help us and other operators in the region attract talented tour guides to grow our business, which in turn means that we’re able to support our venue partners and other local businesses through booking experiences with them,” he said.

“It’s been a tough few years, but we’re starting to see some recovery towards 2019 levels, which is great.”

The Australian Tourism Export Council, which lobbied to have tour guides added to the Jobs and Skills Australia list, said multilingual tour guides were particularly hard to come by.

“We have three guides on our team of eight who are originally from overseas,” Baker said.

“They speak Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

“Our international guides, who have been living in Australia for some time and have a great insight to the region, are central to providing memorable experiences for our guests.

“Being able to understand relevant cultural differences and to be able to bridge language barriers allows for a more insightful experience that’s tailored to meet our guest’s specific needs.”