A job to love
How would you like a career that can take you anywhere in the world, in a service industry that employs almost one million people in Australia, in over 300,000 businesses1? Tourism and hospitality can offer you that, and so much more!
Take a look at this short video from Tourism WA, which features tour operators and accommodation managers talking about their passion for tourism and hospitality and showcases some of our top attractions.
All this and more is waiting for you, in WA's tourism and hospitality industry! We live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, with an abundance of natural beauty, history and ancient Indigenous culture — that's why almost three million people from interstate and overseas came to visit last year. Each of those people went home with memories of unique experiences — our hospitality and tourism workforce is a big part of that, and you can be too.
As one tour operator says — "It doesn't really feel like a job, it just feels like every day is a great experience".
From working as a tour guide or travel agent through to being a barista or qualified chef, mixing cocktails at a holiday resort or working in hotel operations or management; there's a wide range of occupations in tourism and hospitality, and fantastic opportunities to grow your career.
Although we are currently experiencing some downturn in tourism worldwide due to COVID-19 restrictions, which has a follow-on impact on hospitality businesses, the industry is forecast to bounce back and grow significantly over the next few years. Add to that new opportunities in areas such as eco and Indigenous tourism, sustainable food technologies and destination events and you could enjoy a career for life.
What tourism and hospitality can offer you
A career in tourism and hospitality has so much to offer — here's just a few reasons why it's a great industry to be in.
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Start your adventure today!
Western Australia’s tourism and hospitality industry is your ticket to a career where adventure is always part of the job description and the opportunities are as vast as our sun-kissed state.
Find your tourism and hospitality job at westernaustralia.jobs. Dedicated to WA’s tourism and hospitality industry, the website is free and connects you directly with employers.
| Select one of the boxes below, or follow the individual links to find out more about the tourism and hospitality industry, the job and career opportunities each sector offers, and training and other options to get you started or further your career. |
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How we can help
Jobs and Skills Centres are located across regional and metropolitan WA, and they can help with advice and support about all things jobs, careers and training.
An experienced careers specialist at your local JSC can help with all aspects of career planning and decision making, and offer information and support to help you choose the best pathway into working in tourism and hospitality.
All services are free!
Call your local JSC on 13 64 64, or find your nearest JSC via the link below and drop in for a chat.
Fast facts: About the tourism and hospitality industry
"Tourism and hospitality" is the term used to describe the overall industry, because the two sectors — tourism, and hospitality — are closely related. However; each offers different jobs and careers, and different types of work, so it's important to look at them separately when you're considering your future pathways.
The tourism industry incorporates businesses that provide goods or services related to leisure and business activities away from a person's usual home or business environment — generally, related to holidays and/or travel for business or pleasure. Tourism has two main areas — domestic (travel and tourism within Australia), and international (outside of Australia), and it's a multi-billion dollar global industry.
Tourism services include all aspects of travel and travel arrangements including bookings and itinerary, tour operation and guiding, visitor information centres, tourist attractions including landmark sites and adventure parks and also historical, cultural and/or eco experiences.
Hospitality is the business of making people feel welcome. It's has two main areas — accommodation, and food and beverage. These are generally categorised as "front of house" — the people you see, such as the hotel concierge or the maitre'd at a restaurant, and "back of house" — the people you generally don't see, such as the hotel's housekeeping team or the restaurant's kitchen staff.
Hospitality happens in a wide range of settings; from budget hostels or holiday parks to eco retreats or glamping or luxurious hotels and resorts; as well as cruise ships, restaurants, clubs, pubs, arenas and sporting venues, cafés or coffee shops, catering services and casinos.
A world of opportunities and experiences
Tourism and hospitality happens all over the world — on land, on water, and in the air. From hot air ballooning over the Avon Valley or helicopter rides over wineries in South West WA to restaurant service on an ocean liner touring islands in the South Pacific, working the front desk at a luxury resort on the Gold Coast to guiding tours at a wildlife sanctuary in Africa, it is truly an industry that can take you anywhere and offer you experiences like no other.
Although the industry can be exciting, and some may say even glamorous, it's important to remember it's a service-based industry and the focus is always on providing unforgettable experiences for the customer. If you love working with people — from business travellers to families — this could be the industry for you!
The travel and tourism sector
As of June 2020, Australia had over 318,000 tourism businesses — 1.2% more than at June 2019, which shows that tourism businesses continued to grow despite the challenges of COVID-19. Some sectors showed significant growth; such as travel agency and tour operator services (+55%). In WA, the tourism industry grew by 2.9% for 2019—20 to over 26,000 businesses5 and provided employment for 94,800 persons across WA3.
In the year ending December 2020, we welcomed over nine million overnight visitors to WA — including 1.8 million from interstate and more than 950,000 from overseas3. The domestic market is our largest source of visitors and includes intrastate (people within WA) and interstate tourists. Add to this the 106 cruise ships that visited WA in 2019—20, which supported about 935 jobs either onboard providing hospitality services or onshore at one of WA’s 10 key ports4. In total, tourism activities in WA contributed $12.2 billion to our economy in 2020.
In a year where international travel was significantly reduced, due to the closure of Australia’s international border on 20 March, we received over 220,000 international visitors who together spent over $541 million. Australia remains one of the world's top tourist destinations.
For outbound tourism, in 2019 Australian residents undertook 11,300,000 million international trips with New Zealand being the most popular destination; followed by Indonesia then the USA in third place.
The hospitality sector
The hospitality sector incorporates two key areas.
Accommodation — facilities and services to visitors in hotels, serviced apartments, resorts, holiday parks, caravan parks and retreats.
This includes including front of house services such as concierge and reception, and back of house such as housekeeping, maintenance trades, gardens and landscaping, and technical support.
Food and beverage — provision and/or supply of food and drinks for people.
This happens in a range of settings and venues including hotels, cruise ships, restaurants, cafes, clubs, pubs, bars and resorts as well as at events such as festivals or concerts and in facilities such as hospitals and schools, or through catering businesses.
The hospitality sector contributed $909 million to WA's economy in 2018—196. Nationally; restaurants, cafes and takeaway services alone contributed over $43 million to Australia's economy from March 2020 to March 20217.
The tourism and hospitality workforce
As of December 2020, the tourism industry in Australia employed 664,400 people (5.1% more than September 20206). This represents around five per cent of Australia's total workforce, making tourism one of our highest employers. Around 58% of these people work full time, and the workforce is around 66% male4.
For hospitality; in 2018-19, over 24,000 people were employed in food and beverage services in WA8 and nationally over 851,000 people are employed in the accommodation and food and beverage sectors9. These numbers are forecast to increase significantly over the next two to three years10.
To find out more, please explore the following sections.
Jobs and careers in tourism
The tourism industry offers something for everyone — a range of opportunities from entry level work through to high level management roles within Australia and across the world. If you enjoy meeting new people and trying new things, you’ll be amazed at the career choices available to you in this dynamic and exciting industry sector.
Explore tourism occupations
Because the tourism industry offers a range of different occupations and job roles, it's useful to explore these further so that you can decide on the kind of work you're interested in doing.
We have over hundreds of occupation profiles you can browse through — visit our Occupation profiles page here
The type of job you pursue will depend on your career goals. Here's just a few things to consider.
- Are you looking for short term employment, perhaps on a casual or part time basis, or do you want to pursue promotion into a management career?
- Do you want to work front of house working directly with customers, or back of house in other areas of operations?
- Would you like to manage events such as conferences, trade shows and festivals?
- Is travel something you want, or are you happy staying here?
To help you answer some of these questions, and find the job that's right for you, here's an overview of some of the main jobs in tourism.
Spotlight on: Aboriginal tourism
WA’s rich, diverse and authentic Aboriginal culture gives us a unique point of difference over other holiday destinations. It's an important part of our tourism industry, offering people a unique insight into our rich cultural history. It's also an area of tourism that has grown significantly over recent years and continues to be more and more popular with both domestic and international visitors.
Tourism also enables Aboriginal people to work on country and create unique tourism experiences through sharing its history and beauty with the world.
If you are an Aboriginal person, this could be a fantastic career path to follow.
The WA State Government is making a significant investment to the future of Aboriginal and Indigenous tourism, including the launch of Tjina: WA Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan 2021—25 which is backed by a $20 million Aboriginal Tourism Fund. You can find out more on the Tourism WA website - external site.
To find out more about Aboriginal tourism in WA, please visit the WA Indigenous Tourism Council (WAITOC) website - external site.
Spotlight on: Eco tourism
Eco tourism, also known as sustainable tourism, is the fastest growing segment of the tourism market worldwide, driven by a desire to experience local cultures and natural habitats in a way that leaves minimal footprint on the environment.
So what is "eco tourism"? Eco Tourism Australia - external site defines it as "ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation."
Eco tourism offers fantastic job opportunities if you're looking for something a bit different, and have an interest in sustainability and conservation. It is a fast growing area of tourism in Western Australia.
This short video features a look at how eco tourism is thriving in tropical North Queensland, and how it's contributing to the conservation and sustainability of this beautiful area and serving as a model for other areas of Australia to follow.
Spotlight on: Events
Event management is a significant part of the tourism industry. It can include gatherings for business, entertainment, sporting and leisure purposes for international and domestic visitors and include. These may include art exhibitions and shows, community events, concerts and performances, music festivals, food and wine promotions, weddings and parties, sporting events and competitions, business conferences and seminars, trade and consumer exhibitions, and promotions or product launches.
In this short video Kat, who recently completed her Diploma in Events Management at South Metropolitan TAFE, talks about what's involved in the job and what she learned in her training. She also shares some insights into how to get a job in events.
The events sector has been enjoying considerable growth over the past few years, due to the large number and various types of events and exhibitions taking place. It currently employs almost 39,000 people, and in great news for anyone considering a career in events employment projections predict a growth in employment to 46,900 by 202412.
This is an exciting area to work in, with fantastic job and career opportunities.
12 Australian Industry Skills Committee Employment Forecast
Jobs and careers in hospitality
The hospitality industry offers a fantastic variety of jobs and careers across a range of workplaces. It truly has something for everyone — a range of opportunities from entry level work through to high level management roles within Australia and across the world. If you have a passion for customer service, love being part of a team and enjoy a bit of excitement in your work day, this could be the industry for you!
Explore hospitality occupations
Because the hospitality industry offers a range of different occupations and job roles, it's useful to explore these further so that you can decide on the kind of work you're interested in doing.
We have over hundreds of occupation profiles you can browse through — visit our Occupation profiles page here
The type of job you pursue will depend on your career goals. Here's just a few things to consider.
- Are you looking for short term employment, perhaps on a casual or part time basis, or do you want to pursue promotion into a management career?
- Do you want to work front of house directly with customers, or back of house with more of a planning or organising role?
- Are you a foodie, or do you fancy yourself as more of a cocktail connoisseur?
- Is travel something you want, or are you happy staying here?
To help you answer some of these questions, and find the job that's right for you, here's an overview of some of the main jobs in hospitality.
Spotlight on: Chefs
Did you know that there's currently a shortage of qualified chefs across Australia? Chefs are in high demand, as they are the key to the success of any restaurant or cafe. Smaller businesses may require only one single chef to work across all aspects of the kitchen, but in larger businesses such as hotels and restaurants brigades (teams) of cooks and chefs work together in specific areas. Although the work can be stressful at times, and the hours can be long, most chefs will tell you that the passion they have for food and the ability to share that passion every day with their kitchen team and their customers makes up for all of that. And a career as a chef can take you anywhere in the world!
One person who can vouch for that is Chris Malone, who decided to pursue his love of food through a chef apprenticeship where he was employed by Fraser's Restaurant in Perth and did his training at North Metropolitan TAFE.
After winning several awards including WA Young Chef of the Year and carving a reputation as one of Perth's most talented chefs, Chris was offered a position at the Michelin Star Eleven Madison Park in New York. He then worked as sous chef in the Davies and Brook restaurant at Claridge's London — one of England's most prestigious hotels — as part of a brigade of over 50 chefs in a very busy kitchen. His latest appointment is as head chef at the famous underwater restaurant Ossiano in Dubai, and he's only 25 years of age!
Take a look at this short video to hear Chris share his early story.
Am I suited to this kind of work?
Working in tourism and hospitality, you will meet people from all walks of life and from all across the world. It's a high-energy and fast paced industry, where you'll often be on your feet most of the day and sometimes the hours can be long. You'll need to be OK with working under pressure, and to high standards.
It's also important to consider that working in tourism and hospitality will sometimes require you to work evenings and weekends (although these are generally rostered, so you won't always have to do these shifts), and because special times such as Valentine's Day, Christmas and New Year's Eve are peak busy periods for the industry you'll sometimes have to work at these times.
While these things may seem like disadvantages, they are balanced by the enjoyment and fulfilment you can get from working in tourism and hospitality — the people you meet, the team you'll work with, and experiences you'll enjoy and the opportunities you'll find are truly unique to this industry.
Explore hospitality occupations
Because the hospitality industry offers a range of different occupations and job roles, it's useful to explore these further so that you can decide on the kind of work you're interested in doing.
We have over hundreds of occupation profiles you can browse through — visit our Occupation profiles page here
What skills would I need?
In addition to the technical skills and knowledge you'll gain through training, you will also need a range of other skills and values to help you be an effective tourism and hospitality worker — both for yourself, and for your customers and guests. The top skills that industry employers say they're looking for are as follows.
Select each of these skills areas below to find out more.
If you have a genuine desire to help people and believe this kind of work would suit you, we encourage you to pursue your interests by talking to someone who works in the tourism and hospitality industry to ask about their experiences.
You can also get free careers advice from your local Jobs and Skills Centre — call 13 64 64.
Explore hospitality occupations
Because the hospitality industry offers a range of different occupations and job roles, it's useful to explore these further so that you can decide on the kind of work you're interested in doing.
We have hundreds of occupation profiles you can browse through — visit our Occupation profiles page here
How do I get a job in tourism and hospitality?
Now is a great time to consider a career in tourism and hospitality! Businesses are as busy as ever and there's plenty of job vacancies waiting to be filled. Front of house hospitality workers such as bar staff, baristas, servers or waiters, kitchen stewards and floor supervisors are in high demand, as are tour operators and chefs. In tourism, there's a shortage of tour guides and travel agents, and in roles across a range of accommodation services such as those in hotels or resorts — particularly in regional areas.
As one of Australia's largest industries, tourism and hospitality offers job opportunities for people of all ages and all stages of life. Some entry level jobs may not require you to have a qualification, but some skills and experience will always be of value. Most importantly, you'll need to have a "can do" attitude and love working with people — tourism and hospitality is a very people-focused industry, and its success depends entirely on customer satisfaction.
Ready to start your job search?
Take a look at the following questions, to help get things started.
Start your adventure today!
Western Australia’s tourism and hospitality industry is your ticket to a career where adventure is always part of the job description and the opportunities are as vast as our sun-kissed state.
Find your tourism and hospitality job at westernaustralia.jobs. Dedicated to WA’s tourism and hospitality industry, the website is free and connects you directly with employers.
Do you need to skill up?
Training options and other pathways
When it comes to getting a job in tourism and hospitality, having skills and knowledge can really give you the edge over other jobseekers. There's a range of vocational education and training (VET) courses available at WA TAFEs and private training providers that can set you up to be job ready, with the skills and knowledge that employers are looking for. Or if you already have some skills and experience but would like a career change or promotion, a training course may be the way to get there.
Once you have identified the type of work you are interested in, and/or the occupation you're going for, you can find a course or qualification that offers the skills and knowledge you'll need to be job ready.
University study
If you are seeking a career in senior management, or in a specialist area of tourism, you could consider a university-level qualification. Each university will offer a different program of qualifications, at different levels and with different entry requirements, so it's worth taking the time to read through the information on their website to help decide which study pathway you want to pursue. You can find out more about universities in WA here - external site.
Vocational education and training (VET)
With VET, there's a course or qualification for almost every job in tourism and hospitality! And there's never been a better time to get into training; with free courses and a range of qualifications with course fees reduced by half price through Lower fees, local skills!*
Free tourism and hospitality courses
Maybe you’re considering a career in tourism and hospitality, but not sure if it’s the right fit for you? Or maybe you’re interested to know more about what this kind of work would really be like? Or perhaps you just need to get some skills and knowledge together, to help you get that first job. Our free courses are the perfect choice!
We have worked closely with WA's leading tourism and hospitality industry representatives and employers to identify the types of skills needed right now and for future jobs, and developed fee-free* skill sets (short courses). These courses provide an excellent introduction to working in tourism and hospitality, and can get you job ready skills for entry into the industry, and one of them even includes barista training plus your Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certification!
- Commercial Kitchen
- Hospitality Service — includes barista training and your RSA
- Infection control (Food handling)
- Work in hospitality includes your RSA
 | Select the Skill Sets icon on the course list to find out more about these free job ready skill sets |
*The infection control skill set is free for everybody. The other skill sets are free for eligible students — please visit our Skills Ready page for information about eligibility.
Half price tourism and hospitality qualifications
How would you like to get a nationally recognised and accredited qualification but pay only half-price course fees? Or even less than half price! And how about a fees cap? Eligible concession students will pay no more than $400 total for course fees in any one year*!
There's currently a range of qualifications available four tourism and hospitality — including events — with course fees reduced by half or more under the Lower fees, local skills program. These qualifications have all been chosen specifically to match up with the skills employers are looking for, and for where the jobs are!
*Please visit our Skills Ready page for information about eligibility for the annual course fees cap, and reduced course fees under Lower fees, local skills.
Other options to skill up and get that job
Getting a job without any relevant skills or experience is not easy... right? While the tourism and hospitality industry does offer a range of entry level jobs that don't require a qualification, you will be able to access a better range of job opportunities if you have some experience, skills and knowledge. That's where these other options can offer you a great pathway to skill up and get job ready.
Tourism and hospitality courses
This course list details all of the courses and qualifications that are subsidised through Jobs and Skills WA for the tourism and hospitality industry. It includes free skill sets (short courses), and qualifications with course fees reduced through Lower Fees, Local Skills.
Using this course list
- Select from the Skills Ready options, if you would like to search for fee-free or low fee courses and skill sets.
- If you're looking for something specific, enter one or more keywords such as "travel agent" or ''chef".
- You can use the filter options to narrow your search by level of qualification, training provider, industry or specific study area.
- To find out more about a course, select its title for further information.
We have also included some courses in areas such as business and management that are not specific to this industry but may be of interest. If you would prefer to see just the tourism and hospitality courses, please select those options from the study area list.
Certificate I in Tourism (Australian Indigenous Culture)
National ID : SIT10122 | State ID : BHT1
With Western Australia's rich cultural history, an exciting range of job roles are available in the tourism industry in organisations with an Australian Indigenous focus. You may have a role as an Australian Indigenous person, or an individual approved by local elders, to share aspects of their culture with visitors in a formal or informal way.
Certificate II in Baking (Pre-apprenticeship)
National ID : FBP20221 | State ID : AC93
Who doesn't love a fresh loaf of bread, a delicious doughnut or a perfect pastry? Imagine having a job where you get to create delicious pastries, breads, meringues and so much more!
Certificate II in Cookery
National ID : SIT20421 | State ID : BHS1
Whether you would love a career as a professional chef one day, or would love to work as a cook or kitchen hand right now, this course is the perfect way to make it happen!
Certificate II in Cookery (Commercial Cookery Pre-Apprenticeship)
National ID : SIT20421 | State ID : AD84
This nationally recognised and accredited qualification will give you the job-ready skills that employers are looking for, and could give you a head start to get into a commercial cookery apprenticeship to work in restaurants, hotels, catering operations, clubs, pubs, cafes, and coffee shops; or even in aged care facilities, hospitals, prisons, and schools — anywhere there's a commercial kitchen!
Certificate II in Hospitality
National ID : SIT20322 | State ID : BHT0
With this course, you'll gain practical skills in food and beverage preparation, including preparing and serving coffee and non-alcoholic beverages, to get you job ready and start your career in the exciting hospitality industry.
Certificate II in Tourism
National ID : SIT20122 | State ID : BHS3
Tourism and travel is a huge global industry, and offers fantastic career opportunities in a range of areas including events management, travel agent, reservations consultant, conference and function management, hotel and resort management, attractions guide, tour guide... and so much more!
Certificate II in Wine Industry Operations
National ID : FBP20521 | State ID : BHA3
With Western Australia's wines being recognised all over the world as top class, this is an exciting industry to be part of. The Certificate II in Wine Industry Operations is a nationally recognised accredited qualification that will give you the essential skills and knowledge required for entry-level employment in the wine industry.
Certificate III in Arts and Cultural Administration
National ID : CUA30620 | State ID : BGS9
If you're looking for a career in the cultural arts, this is the the perfect course to kickstart your professional arts career!
Certificate III in Aviation (Cabin Crew)
National ID : AVI30219 | State ID : BER6
Complete the Certificate III in Aviation (Cabin Crew) and you will be job ready for an exciting career as a flight attendant or cabin crew member! These jobs are extremely competitive, but having this nationally recognised and accredited qualification will give you a clear advantage over other applicants.
Certificate III in Aviation (Ground Operations and Service)
National ID : AVI30319 | State ID : BET4
This nationally recognised and accredited qualification covers all the essentials of aviation work health and safety, and teaches you how to conduct your work safely around aircraft and a range of airport vehicles.
Looking for advice on training, jobs or careers? We can help!
If you think the tourism and hospitality industry would be a great fit for your future, your local Jobs and Skills Centre can help with free advice on training and career planning to help you get there. And because they work closely with local employees and industries, they know where the jobs are and how to help you get them. Whether you need help freshening up your CV, writing a job application, or deciding what training course is the best option for you — your JSC can help!
JSCs are located through metropolitan Perth and regional WA, and outreach services are also available in regional areas. All services are free — just contact your local JSC to find out how they can help you.