New Program to Address On-Line Skills Need
28/04/2008
Tourism operators across Tasmania will benefit greatly from a new program aimed at increasing their ability to connect with customers online, the TICT’s Chief Executive Officer Daniel Hanna said today.
Mr Hanna said there had been enormous growth in online distribution, e-marketing and e-commerce in the global tourism industry in recent years but many smaller operators just did not have the skills to take advantage of the phenomenon.
“More and more people are turning to the internet and online booking sites to search for accommodation and plan their holidays,” he said.
“Recent surveys have found that many small operators do not have the necessary skills in this area. An unsatisfactory number still do not have a web presence or sufficient knowledge about how to connect with customers online.
“The rapid changes in the global tourism industry provide fantastic opportunities for Tasmanian tourism operators if, and only if, they have the skills and knowledge to take advantage of them. A small state like ours can punch well above our weight in the online environment if we move quickly and we are smarter than our competitors.
Mr Hanna said the Productivity through Partnership initiative would directly address this issue by aiming to increase the skills and capacities of tourism operators in the new digital and distribution environment.
“The other major advantage of this initiative is that the funding is channeled through an industry association rather than registered training organisations.
“What it means is that the TICT, in association with small tourism operators, will be able to tell the training organisations what type of skills training they need and how they want it delivered rather than the operators trying to fit in with the needs of the training organisation.
“This is a new and innovative way for the government to fund skills development,” Mr Hanna said.
“This project will allow flexible training to be delivered one-on-one in the operator’s business at a time that is convenient to them.
“Most importantly, this project will encourage increased take-up of new technology by the tourism industry, making the industry more productive and more profitable.
Mr Hanna said this model could provide the way forward for training and skills development that delivered better outcomes for Government and industry.
“This new approach responds to existing weaknesses in the training system and has responded to direct lobbying from industries like tourism for new and innovative solutions, Mr Hanna, said.
