Launching the sixth annual TMS Asia-Pacific Australia Travel and Hospitality Industry Salary Survey this week, General Manager Australia/NZ, Sally Matheson said one of the more salient factors she hoped to see unearthed this year would be the impact the current job heavy/candidate light environment is playing on employee wages.

Ms Matheson said the year to date, while not a period of huge plenty, had none the less been positive.

“There can be no doubt we are currently back in a pre-GFC climate where employees seem to have the upper hand when it comes to  expecting and demanding better salaries from employers,” Ms Matheson said.

“However it remains to be seen who actually has the upper hand at the moment – employees or employers.

“This is just one of several relevant factors we hope to unearth with the 2011 Salary Report Survey.”

Ms Matheson said she was confident the 2011 result will have just as much significance as its predecessors, all of which have provided solid benchmarks for the sector following on from what she described as a six year economic rollercoaster ride.

“One thing we do know for sure – the 2011 Salary Report Survey will be conducted in an environment where jobs have once again become more plentiful against a backdrop of a deficiency of readily available candidates,” she said.

“This scenario has immense bearing on remuneration packages especially with employers once again being forced to outbid each other in order to secure the best available talent in an ever-tightening corridor.”

Ms Matheson said the executive search specialist would this year be inviting input from more than 10,000 travel industry personnel across Australia.

The primary purpose of the report, as in previous surveys, is to independently assess the total remuneration packages of staff and management at all levels throughout the country.

“We are confident the end result and benefits of this survey, as in 2010, will prove equally as valuable,” Ms Matheson said.

$250 cash incentive

As an incentive for those taking part in this year’s survey, the recruitment specialist is offering participants the opportunity to win a $250 cash voucher.

How to take part

Participants can easily complete the online survey which is readily accessible via the TMS web site, visit www.tmsap.com.

But they must complete the survey by no later than 07 October 2011.

Survey results – and the winner of the voucher - are expected to be announced in November.