Michael Johnson

Peak industry body Accommodation Australia will officially launch on July 1, 2023, the Fair Work Commission has confirmed.

The update follows a Accommodation Association member vote in favour (96%) of an amalgamation with Tourism Accommodation Australia.

The first President of Accommodation Australia will be Leanne Harwood and the inaugural CEO Michael Johnson.

“The vote was a strong endorsement and a clear sign members from both organisations are ready to move into the future together as one,” Johnson said.

Speaking at Ted’s Technology Conference held at The Fullerton Hotel in Sydney, Johnson told delegates, the amalgamation “couldn’t come at a better time”.

“This has been a long time in the making, and is now about to become a reality,” he said.

“Our industry in many locations is now tracking north of pre-pandemic levels with optimistic forecasts on the horizon.”