^{Go with Tourism was developed in partnership with Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) in response to a sector experiencing significant skills shortages (an estimated 40,000 new tourism workers needed by 2025). It was a key project to emerge from Auckland’s Destination AKL 2025 visitor economy strategy which launched in 2018.}

The initiative has since secured $5.2 million from the Government’s new International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) to expand the platform into a wider national programme of activity to build the nationwide tourism workforce.

EDNZ judge Mark Rawson says the innovative Go with Tourism has created significant outcomes for both jobseekers and tourism employers.

“Congratulations to ATEED for developing and spearheading this campaign. The New Zealand visitor sector should be thankful for the leadership ATEED has demonstrated to address New Zealand’s growing skills shortages and the opportunities created for young people wanting to find a sustainable career pathway, and therefore improve the quality of their lives.”

Written by Helen Shaw, Marketing Communications Manager