TIA announced on Christmas Eve it had reached an agreement with Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry of Social Development to temporarily streamline procedures for filling short-term vacancies in the resort this summer.
Many of the resort's hotels, activities and attractions have struggled to fill short-term job vacancies and with record numbers of visitors expected over the next few weeks, the situation was becoming critical.
Earlier this month, the Otago Daily Times reported there was a chef shortage in Queenstown - where the situation was described as ''dire'' - and in Wanaka, where a lack of qualified chefs was becoming critical. Chefs were high on the skills shortage list.
The situation was made more difficult by immigration rules and requirements.
The TIA said the deal with Immigration and Social Development Ministries was effective immediately and would continue until the end of June.
It would make it easier for tourism employers to hire holiday-makers for short-term roles if suitable Kiwi candidates were not available.
It would also speed up the Labour Market Check process, where employers must demonstrate they could not find a New Zealander to fill the vacancy.
Restaurant Association of New Zealand Queenstown president Grant Hattaway said the announcement would ''definitely help''.
It was forecast to be a record summer and from now until Easter most businesses in the resort would make the majority of their profit for the coming year.
''If we haven't got labour ... it will happen [businesses will make profit], but to a much lesser degree.
''This is our harvest time to a degree ... we need to be able to make hay while the sun shines.''
Mr Hattaway, owner of Pier 19, said any immigration reforms were helpful for businesses in the district and ''we thank them for it''.
TIA Policy and Research manager Simon Wallace and TIA Hotel Sector manager Sally Attfield said the agreement would cure many headaches for TIA members in Queenstown and Wanaka.
''Employers have been telling us that the processes they need to go through are time-consuming, especially for many skilled job vacancies.
''Queenstown has a limited pool of New Zealand job candidates and Kiwi job-hunters from further afield may not be in a position to move to Queenstown, especially given the scarcity, and high costs, of accommodation.
''Holiday-makers holding work visas are a lifeline for Queenstown employers looking to fill short-term positions, so it's a real benefit if we can make it easier for them to fill such vacancies.''
TIA's work to reach the agreement had been supported by the Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TEC). TEC chief executive Lesley Immink said it was ''crucial'' for employers to be fully staffed through the peak season.
''We all want to ensure our visitors have the best possible experience of their New Zealand holiday. That means offering excellent service standards at every point of their trip, in their accommodation, and while they are out and about.
''We are delighted that the Government has listened to our concerns and is taking steps to find a short-term solution. ''In the meantime, we will work with government agencies on developing longer-term solutions to address workforce needs in the tourism industry,'' Ms Immink said.
