In marked contrast to their Asian counterparts, the bulk of whom (75 per cent) have enjoyed pay increases over the last 12 months, Australian travel industry employees do not appear to have fared quite so well in 2011.
Figures released by TMS Asia-Pacific as part of its 2011 Australian Travel/Hospitality Industry Salary Report show that while 54 per cent of all industry staffers polled indicated they had received a pay rise, this was in fact a drop on the 60 per cent figure recorded last year.
Adding further fuel to what TMS General Manager Australia/NBZ, Sally Matheson said was a “worrying trend”, the number of employees who saw their salaries increase in excess of 6 per cent over the last 12 months also decreased – from 14 per cent to 12 per cent.
“The Australian findings are very different from the Asia region where 75 per cent of all respondents participating in the 2011 TMS Asia-Pacific Survey indicated they had received a pay increase in the last 12 months,” Matheson said.
“That figure represents a 7 per cent increase over the 68 per cent of Asia-based respondents receiving a pay rise and could be seen as a very strong indication that employers in Asia are attempting to retain their good staff with increased remuneration as the ‘war for talent’ continues to impact on a sector showing ongoing positive growth.
“It’s the same with the level of increase with 27 per cent of those respondents receiving a pay rise in excess of 6 per cent or more – more than double the figure recorded in Australia.
Matheson said that the year to date, while not a period of huge plenty, had none the less certainly been positive for Australia.
“There can be no doubt we are currently back in a pre-GFC climate and one which in theory should see employees having the upper hand when it comes to expecting and demanding better salaries from employers as the ‘war for talent’ continues to bite,” she said.
“But judging from what the 2011 Report has unearthed it would appear that employers actually have the upper hand at the moment.”
Actual Salaries
Average salaries ranged from $40,000 for a Documentation Consultant in New South Wales to $20,436 for a Personal Assistant in Victoria.
State-by-state, New South Wales recorded the highest average salary, at $81,760, followed by Victoria’s $80,531.
These two states ranked considerably higher than any other, with Queensland ($58,579), ACT ($58,025), Western Australia ($55,219) and South Australia ($55,163) all left trailing.
The Corporate sector recorded the highest average salary by industry at an impressive $95,057. This was followed by the Cruise sector ($81,000) and Hospitality which averaged $79,122.
Matheson said this proved that the sector is not as poorly rewarded as its reputation suggests, with several senior roles including Director of Sales, Training and Development Manager, Project Manager and Account Manager all commanding six-figure salaries
Career Development
While salary increases continued to dominate, Matheson said the importance of career development on employee satisfaction, as in recent surveys, remains very high on the agenda.
A total of 64 per cent of respondents said that career progression was either ‘important’ or ‘very important, up 3 per cent from 61 per cent in 2010.
A total of 63 per cent rated their career progression opportunities with current employers as ‘fair’, ‘poor’ or ‘none’, up 5 per cent on the 58 per cent recorded in 2010.
Matheson said this factor should be sounding alarm bells for employers given that employees in this post-GFC environment are now seeing a greater number of opportunities than ever before, both within the tourism sector and outside from competing sectors offering both higher salaries and stronger career path opportunities.
“We have to be mindful that the ‘war for talent’ continues unabated and employers face an uphill battle in retaining staff.
“This means employers need to be very much on their toes if they are to maintain headcount – and fill newly emerging job roles – and if they are to remain competitive in the employment stakes in this current environment.”
Launched in late August, the survey this year attracted close on 800 respondents ranging from company CEOs, managing directors and general managers through to middle management and front line consultants.
Full survey results can be viewed on the TMS website located at www.tmsap.com.