Language skills will be essential for Otago job seekers looking at joining the tourism industry, and benefiting from thousands of new jobs expected in the next 10 years.
Tourism Industry Association chief executive Chris Roberts said language skills would be ''incredibly important''.
That included language for communicating, with the large increase in visitors expected from China.
People with Mandarin, French, German and other languages would be in hot demand, Mr Roberts said.
Anyone with language skills ''will be jumped on by the tourism industry and given a job''.
New Zealand was ''starting from a bit behind'' in the area, although he understood Mandarin was the most commonly taught language in New Zealand primary schools.
Smaller operators, with two or three employees, were less likely to have someone with those skills, but at least an understanding of cultural needs, ''an understanding of who they are and where they're from'' would help.
''So, we have a big challenge ahead, especially as we know that employers in some regions, in particular Queenstown, are already struggling to find enough staff.''
