35,800 shortfall of tourism workers?

Federal Tourism minster Martin Ferguson last week announced an extension of 457 visas to include barstaff, chefs and waiters.  This follows a national survey of tourism providers found the equivalent of 35,800 jobs vacant across Australia last year.

Without intervention, the shortage is forecast to jump to 56,000 workers within three years.

Martin Ferguson, the Minister for Tourism, says the resources boom is having unintended consequences for the hospitality and tourism sectors.

MARTIN FERGUSON: "If you're working for example in the industry in Perth at the moment, so you're domestic or you might be knocking out 38 grand or so, you go into the resources sector fly-in fly-out, you can double your wage."

How can the tourism sector in Perth compete with the resources sector - yet at the same time, business tourism in Perth is exceptionally strong - with so many businesspeople coming to Perth and wanting a decent service in the tourism sector.

It's almost hard to believe given the woes of the Queensland tourism sector in recent years.