TTF Media Release

Thursday 22 April 2021

BRING WORKERS BACK TO BREATHE LIFE BACK INTO CITY

Over 90 per cent of NSW employees are still working from home on a regular basis for two or more days a week, according to new consumer research commissioned by the Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF).

The research conducted by research and management consultancy MI Associates found that of the 71 per cent of those surveyed who switched to working from home due to the COVID 19 pandemic almost 50 per cent still work from home four days or more. A further 42 per cent are working from home for at least two days.

It also found that 28 per cent of respondents work from home at least one day a week

The new data comes as the NSW Government prepares to host a CBD Summit on Thursday, April 22 attended by key industry groups and CBD stakeholders with the reactivation of the Sydney CBD, the focus of the discussions.

TTF CEO Margy Osmond welcomed the NSW Government’s targeted support for the struggling Sydney CBD in the form of the Dine and Discover vouchers, business event, and arts funding but called for the State Government to take a leadership role in getting employers to encourage workers back into the CBD.

“With the end of JobKeeper, we must do everything we can to support our tourism-reliant industries by breathing life back into the Sydney CBD which is the epi-centre of our global city.

“Now is the time to get workers back into the CBD more, to support all the businesses especially those heavily reliant on international visitors and the corporate travel market.

“Not only should we look at ways to entice workers and visitors back to our CBDs, but we need to draw a line in the sand and find a way to address increased private vehicle usage generated by the pandemic. We need to encourage people to return to work using the public transport options they frequented before the pandemic.

This latest research builds on recent economic research looking at the impact of the decline in international visitors on CBDs conducted by Stafford Strategy for TTF which revealed the Sydney CBD has suffered a 40% drop in visitation on 2019 levels.

TTF is calling on the State Government to back the formation of a CBD activation taskforce with key stakeholders across the business, hospitality and tourism and transport sectors to drive the next phase of CBD recovery.

Media Contact: TTF Director of Corporate Affairs & Membership Graeme Moses: gmoses@ttf.org.au or 0434 569 470