The inaugural Hospitality Summit has been held in Wellington this week, bringing hospitality industry stakeholders and government representatives together to tackle the sector’s most pressing challenges.
The Summit was held at Parliament Buildings on December 12, 2024 and attended by more than 50 industry stakeholders, alongside government officials including Hon Minister Matt Doocey (Minister for Tourism and Hospitality), Cushla Tangaere-Manuel (Labour spokesperson for Tourism and Hospitality), Celia Wade-Brown QSO (Green spokesperson for Tourism and Hospitality) and Todd Stephenson (ACT spokesperson for Tourism and Hospitality).
It was designed to encourage discussion and collaboration, and to provide an opportunity for the hospitality sector to help shape future government policies.
Industry bodies Hospitality New Zealand and the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, with input from the wider industry and other stakeholders, developed comprehensive draft recommendations that were presented and discussed at the Summit.
These recommendations covered areas from immigration, employment and skills and training, to improving the use of data, easing the burden of compliance and alcohol policy.
They were developed using feedback from a survey and direct engagement with hospitality representatives, with participants invited to share their insights, experiences, and opinions on various aspects of the sector.
A range of quick wins and medium- to long-term opportunities relating to these recommendations were discussed and developed further at the Summit. These will be compiled into a roadmap for the hospitality industry which will be published early in 2025.
Speaking at the Summit, Hon. Matt Doocey, the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, welcomed the recommendations. He also announced the Government’s commitment to co-fund a data project with the Restaurant Association and Hospitality NZ to provide reliable data for New Zealand's hospitality sector.
Minister Doocey says: “It was great to host the Hospitality Summit at Parliament. This event has brought together sector representatives and industry leaders from the sector to discuss the challenges and opportunities they face, including the importance of data for the sector and the recent hospitality workforce survey results.
“I was pleased to confirm at the Summit that the Restaurant Association, working in partnership with Hospitality NZ, would receive funding from the Tourism Data Partnership Fund to develop hospitality and restaurant spending insights.
“I have heard the message from the sector the call for better quality data and insights so they can be confident in their decisions and planning.”
Steve Armitage, Hospitality NZ Chief Executive, says the Hospitality Summit has been “a great opportunity for the hospitality sector and government to co-design a plan that can help tackle the challenges our sector is facing, and create conditions where hospitality can truly thrive.”
Marisa Bidois, Restaurant Association Chief Executive, adds: “This initiative represents a significant opportunity for the hospitality industry to influence real change and contribute to the strategic direction of New Zealand’s hospitality industry.”
Working together:
To deliver on the recommendations agreed at the Hospitality Summit, the Restaurant Association and Hospitality NZ have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which demonstrates both organisations’ shared commitment to improving New Zealand’s hospitality industry.
The MOU outlines a commitment from both organisations to work together to:
- Advocate for supportive policies that benefit the sector
- Promote training and professional growth opportunities
- Strengthen the industry’s reputation and attract new talent
- Address challenges such as skill shortages and rising costs
- Leverage shared data to guide decision-making and advocacy efforts
- Collaborate on events and initiatives designed to help the industry thrive.
Marisa Bidois says the Government’s commitment to the actions identified at the Summit and to co-fund the hospitality data project “sets a positive tone for the work ahead, and we’re excited to work together to build on this momentum.
“The roadmap we have created is just the beginning – a starting point that allows us to work collaboratively with Government to address the critical challenges facing our sector and create a thriving, sustainable hospitality industry.”
Steve Armitage adds: “We welcome the Minister’s commitment and are looking forward to building on this progress. The partnership between Hospitality NZ and the Restaurant Association gives us a solid foundation to deliver on the actions agreed to at the Summit, and achieve real results for the hospitality industry.”