Media Releases

2024

August

19 Aug 2024: The Accommodation Australia Board has cemented in its new team at its national board meeting in Canberra, with in-coming CEO James Goodwin attending his first meeting, and a new Board Vice-Chair elected in IHG Hotels and Resorts' Emma Hynes. 
 
7 Aug 2024: Accommodation Australia (AA) has a new CEO, with respected former boss of the Australian Airports Association, James Goodwin, to head the peak accommodation body from 1 September 2024. 
 

July

19 Jul 2024: Records were smashed at this year's illustrious Accommodation Australia NSW Awards for Excellence as the State's best properties and operators were celebrated before a crowd of more than 700 guests. 
 

June

25 Jun 2024: Following the largest opening night on record, the annual Vivid Sydney event once again provided a much-needed boost for Sydney hotels, attracting thousands of visitors to the CBD and bolstering hotel occupancy rates.
 
18 Jun 2024: Accommodation Australia NSW General Manager Stacey McBride said increased support for tourism, nightlife and major events in today’s state budget was welcome news for the Accommodation sector.

 

May

27 May 2024: After more than five years leading the nations peak industry bodies for accommodation, Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson has stepped down.
 
Market Update: Tourism strong despite cost of living concerns
24 May 2024: Holiday travel has come back strongly in the first quarter of 2024 despite current cost of living concerns, with holiday spend now exceeding 2019.
 
Pre-Dawn Meeting sees Coalition to work with Hotels Association on Migration
17 May 2024: A pre-dawn Canberra meeting has seen the Australian Hotels Association outline its concerns with the Federal Opposition's plan to cut permanent migration by 25%. 
 
Migration Changes will impact Hospitality Services Nationwide
15 May 2024: Accommodation Australia and the Australian Hotels Association have warned the decrease in permanent migration planning levels in the Federal Budget will have a direct impact on hospitality services, especially in the regions. 

 

Apr

Developer Hired for one-stop Digital Platform
16 April 2024:  Accommodation Australia's one-stop digital platform for hospitality, travel and tourism is one step closer t4o reality with the engagement of technology company, Tomahawk. 
 
Accommodation Australia partners with NoVacancy for second year
04 April 2024:  Accommodation Australia NSW (AA NSW) is proud to celebrate the second year of it's Platinum partnership with Australia's permier hotel and accommodation event, NoVacancy. 

 

Mar

Accommodation Australia (AA) calls for fairness on any short-stay levy
18 March 2024:  Accommodation Australia (AA) is calling on the NSW Government to exclude hotels from any proposed short-term
rental levy aimed at easing the on-going housing crisis.

 

Feb

Occupancy Rates Soar as 'Swift Effect' Sweeps Sydney
27 February 2024:  With more than 320,000 Swifties attending sold-out concerts at Accor Stadium over the past four nights, Sydney hotels enjoyed record-breaking bookings, many reporting occupancy levels of between 90 - 100%.
 
Occupancy Rates Soar as 'Swift Effect' Sweeps Sydney
27 February 2024:  With more than 320,000 Swifties attending sold-out concerts at Accor Stadium over the past four nights, Sydney hotels enjoyed record-breaking bookings, many reporting occupancy levels of between 90 - 100%.
 
Accommodation Australia Appoints New Chair
21 February 2024:  The nation's peak accommodation body, Accommodation Australia has appointed respected industry figure David Mansfield as new Chair of its National Board.
 

Jan

31 Jan: Accommodation Australia (NSW) is honoured to have been named as a finalist in this year's Asuria Employer Awards. 
 
18 Jan: Accommodation Australia (AA) has paid tribute to the hard work and dedication of its inaugural Chair, industry icon Leanne Harwood. 
 
17 Jan: The NSW Government's decision to lift the cap on concerts for the SCG precinct and Allianz Stadium hits the perfect note for the accommodation sector. 

2023

Dec

14 Dec: Accommodation Australia’s project to create a one-stop digital hub for hospitality, tourism and travel is full steam ahead following a $10m federal government grant and the appointment of a new Project Manager.
 
11 Dec: The nation’s peak hospitality associations have welcomed the Federal Government’s new Migration Strategy as a “positive step forward”, but look forward to further consultation on issues such as the chronic labour shortage in regional areas and changes to student
 

Nov

27 Oct: The best of the best in Australian Hotels were on show at the prestigious Australian Hotels Association National Awards for Excellence in Adelaide tonight.
 

Oct

20 Oct: Domestic tourism has mostly returned to pre-pandemic levels and international visitor arrivals continue to climb each month - these were two of the key messages delivered by a panel of industry experts at this week’s Hotel Market Update held by Accommodation Australia NSW.
 
13 Oct: Accommodation Australia (AA) NSW Manager Stacey McBride said the newly opened W Hotel in Darling Harbour will be an important addition to Sydney’s rapidly expanding hotel skyline.
 
05 Oct: The nation’s peak accommodation body - Accommodation Australia (AA) - has committed to increasing the diversity of voices in public and professional forums as part of a ‘Panel Pledge’, recently endorsed by its national board.
 

Sept

29 Sept: Footy fans in southern states may not be happy to see a Queensland team in the grand final of both major codes this weekend, but pubs and accommodation hotels are already cheering.
 
26 Sept: A 60-day cap on some short-term rental accommodation in the tourism mecca of Byron Bay has been welcomed as a "common sense win for workers and residents" by the nations peak accommodation body.
 
20 Sept: Accommodation Australia NSW Manager Stacey McBride said there were small wins for the sector in yesterday’s NSW Budget, particularly the $41.3 million investment in large events.
 
12 Sept: Accommodation Australia (AA) and Ecotourism Australia have joined forces for the first time to forge a clear pathway toward sustainable tourism for the entire accommodation sector.
 

Aug

25 Aug: NSW’s peak accommodation body has welcomed news the Minns Government will move to finally scrap outdated COVID-19 restrictions in the lead up to the state’s bumper cruising season
 
23 Aug: Accommodation Australia NSW is proud to announce a two-year partnership with Australia’s largest and most important hotel and accommodation exhibition and conference, NoVacancy.
 
04 Aug: The first board meeting of the nation’s peak accommodation body – Accommodation Australia (AA) – has been held at Parliament House, Canberra.
 

Jul

20 July:It was a night that will go down in history, as newly formed peak industry body Accommodation Australia NSW gathered for the first time to celebrate the state’s accommodation superstars.
 
18 July: The FIFA Women’s World Cup is kicking much needed goals for the city’s hotels with a spike in bookings as the opening match kicks off at Stadium Australia this week.
 

May

23 May: The logo for new peak hotels body Accommodation Australia has been unveiled at the Asia Pacific Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE) in Adelaide
 
04 May: The Minns Government’s decision to lift the cap on concerts for the SCG precinct and Allianz Stadium hits the perfect note for the struggling accommodation sector
 

April

27 April: Peak hospitality and accommodation bodies have welcomed the review of migration by the Albanese Government, with Australian Hotels Association CEO Stephen Ferguson saying it “achieves balance in a very complex area.”
 
05 April: TAA NSW CEO and acting CEO of the Accommodation Association Michael Johnson has welcomed the appointment of Upper House MLC John Graham as NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Minister for Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-Time Economy.
 

March

23 March: The Fair Work Commission has confirmed new peak accommodation hotels body, Accommodation Australia, will be officially created on the 1st of July, 2023.
 

February

16 February: The Australian Electoral Commission today advised that the Accommodation Association of Australia’s members have voted overwhelmingly (96%) in favour of the amalgamation with Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA).

2022

Dec

16 December: The Fair Work Commission has given the greenlight to the next stage in the proposed amalgamation of the Accommodation Association of Australia (AA) and Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA)1, including approving an AA member vote.
 
02 December: NSW’s peak hospitality bodies have backed a new Government campaign promoting careers in the sector – which is facing a chronic worker shortage.

 

Oct

14 October: The nation’s leading accommodation bodies said urgent action is needed on regional housing if the industry as a whole has any chance of overcoming the huge shortage of workers across the nation.

 

Sept

30 September: Another key milestone has been reached in the proposed amalgamation, with the Accommodation Association of Australia Council and the Australian Hotels Association Board separately agreeing the Scheme of Amalgamation to create a new peak body, Accommodation Australia.
 
27 September: With just two weeks to redeem the remaining $137 million worth of Stay NSW and Parents NSW vouchers, the Accommodation Association and TAA NSW is calling on members to promote the scheme within their networks before the school holidays come to a close.
 
16 September: General Managers from Tourism Accommodation Australia and the Accommodation Association’s leading NSW hotels met with Business Events Sydney yesterday to discuss the bumper pipeline of events for Sydney over the next 12 months.
 

Aug

26 August: Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) has participated in a series of important engagement sessions with Federal Government Ministers ahead of the highly anticipated Jobs and Skills Summit.
 
22 August: The national boards of Tourism Accommodation Australia and the Accommodation Association held another historic joint meeting yesterday to map out further steps towards creating a single united voice for the accommodation industry.
 
 

Jul

23 Aug: For the first time since 2019, the state’s multi-billion-dollar tourism accommodation sector has come together to celebrate the industry’s ‘night of nights’ at the 2022 Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW Awards for Excellence.
 
06 July: The addition of luxury hotels, Crystalbrook Kingsley and QT Newcastle, is changing the face of Newcastle, according to Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson, who recently paid a visit to the city to tour both venues.
 
 

Jun

16 Jun: More than 25 of Sydney’s top accommodation hotel general managers and senior staff gathered at the Radisson Blu Sydney today for a special industry briefing from the City of Sydney and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
 
9 June: More than 100 hotel leaders gathered online recently to hear details of the new Hotel and Accommodation sector Temporary Labour Agreement and learn how it can help them hire desperately needed skilled workers.
 
06 July: After an extremely tough two years the launch of Vivid has seen Sydney hotels experience their best weekend occupancy figures since 2019
 
 

May

23 May: Australia’s Hospitality and Accommodation sectors are looking forward to working with the Albanese Government to advance Labor’s election commitment of a $48 million tourism and travel package including $10m over two years in training and skills development.
 
19 May: The state’s peak tourism and accommodation body, Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW, has a new board member – the well-respected Jane Lyons.
 
16 May: News an incoming Albanese Government would invest $10m over two years in training and skills development for the struggling hospitality and accommodation sectors has been strongly welcomed by peak industry groups.
 
 

April

19 April: Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) CEO Michael Johnson has welcomed the first international cruise ship to arrive at an Australian port in more than two years.
 

March

15 March: Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) welcomes today’s announcement by the Federal Government that the ban on international cruise ships in to and out of Australia will be lifted by mid-April.
 
 

February

25 February: The Accommodation Association and Tourism Accommodation Australia have combined forces to provide members with key insights into the state of the sector in NSW.
 
25 February: The Accommodation Association and Tourism Accommodation Australia informally met for the first time to progress towards an amalgamation with an anticipated
completion by the end of 2022.
 
21 February: Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson has welcomed the return of international travellers today, saying it is the first step in a very long road to recovery.
 
11 February: Open discussions on how to revitalise the Sydney CBD in response to impacts of COVID-19 were the topic of a summit attended today by Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson.
 
 

January

31 Jan: Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW CEO Michael Johnson has welcomed the NSW Government’s plan to bring forward the start date of the much-needed accommodation voucher program.
 
25 Jan: Peak industry bodies, Tourism Accommodation Australia and the Accommodation Association said the extension of restrictions in NSW will leave many accommodation hotels struggling to survive without government support.