World Tourism Forum Lucerne chief executive Martin Barth said the conference, launched in 2009, aimed to bring together members of the public and private industry as well as academia and investors. Brisbane was chosen to host the forum after the University of Queensland expressed interest in bringing the Swiss institution Down Under. Mr Bath said it was 15 years since he last visited Brisbane and was impressed by the changes in place as well as the proposed developments. "I have seen good, sustainable development," he said. "I was impressed walking through South Bank, I saw not just tourists but people who already live here enjoying the beaches, barbecues, swimming areas, opera and theatre."

Mr Bath said the forum was "a little step" towards realising the importance of communication between industry members in order to address the problem. "Queensland and Brisbane have to make sure to invest in the future generation of young talent as well as the bricks and buildings," he said. "You have to make sure you have the right people and talents to work day and night in these restaurants, hotels and markets. A six-month business case will evaluate a 17,000 seat venue as part of the Brisbane Live proposal. "The image of working within the tourism industry has changed.

"A poor salary and long hours may be right, but there are also business and international opportunities, so let's tell that story and show the world how interesting the industry is. "It's not just long hours and weekends, let's see what is important to the young generation and see what we need to do to make it sexy and attractive for them." University of Queensland senior tourism lecturer Dr Gabby Walters said the industry has faced the issues discussed at the forum, high staff turnover and short-term job prospects, for decades. "One of the things we need to do is change perceptions of working in the industry," she said. "We need to create good experiences, distract from the subservient roles and create an image of the industry as a life-changing experience.

"University and technical colleges definitely have a role to play, but we can’t promote those programs unless the industry promotes itself as a viable career path. "This was a timely event in the sense of the state of things happening here in Brisbane, where we need to think about the future." The proposed events hall at the Howard Smith Wharves. 1Up Communications chief executive Demetri Hughes said the forum's arrival meant Brisbane was "punching above" Sydney and Melbourne and put the river city back in the game. "Hospitality workers are not in the career for life, younger people are there for shorter periods of time," he said.

"In order to retain these young workers, we need to make it a fun and exciting experience where they can meet different people and learn a wide variety of skills. "It's about the brand experience, how guests feel and the performance of staff in the hotels and restaurants. "They have the potential to create a solid brand and huge flow-on effects for Brisbane. "Visitors may then visit the likes of Australia Zoo, theme parks or golfing facilities and overseas students may come here to study."