Tourism boom tipped to create thousands of jobs

About 31,450 new full-time workers will be needed in the next seven years, according to a tourism industry report.

The sector already employs more than 100,000 workers but with tourist numbers forecast to grow from about 2.3 million this year to more than three million in 2010, the report says the industry will need to attract many more workers from New Zealand's already tight labour market.

Tourism Industry Association chief executive Fiona Luhrs described the figures as "startling".

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