Over half of Asia-Pacific travel industry professionals received a pay increase in the last 12 months, indicating tourism businesses see good prospects, according to a newly released report.

This is according to ACI HR Solutions’ 2014 Asia Pacific Travel and Hospitality Industry Salary Survey that was officially launched at the Singapore Tourism Board’s office this week.

Average salaries in Singapore grew 16.1 per cent, followed by Thailand with 11.5 per cent and China with 9.8 per cent. However, actual highest average salaries still went to Macau (US$106,800) and Australia (US$81,939), while Malaysia took the lowest average salary again (US$37,418). The report also noted that male respondents’ salaries were 12 per cent higher than females’.

The growing importance of career progression in employee satisfaction was also highlighted. Some 71 per cent said that career progression was either “extremely important” or “very important”. On the other end of the spectrum, only three per cent said career progression was unimportant.

Currently, 34 per cent of employees feel that their jobs provided “excellent” or “good” opportunities for career progression, compared to 28 per cent in 2013. Respondents who felt their jobs offered “poor” or “zero” career progression opportunities fell to 22 per cent from 35 per cent in 2013.

Andrew Chan, founder and CEO of ACI, said: “2013 proved to be an excellent year for international tourism, which showed a remarkable capacity to adjust to changing market conditions, fuelling growth and job creation across the region, despite the lingering economic and geopolitical changes.”

On the improved statistics reported in the study, Chan said that the improved economic outlook had likely allowed companies to expand and give existing staff new opportunities.

The 2014 Asia Pacific Travel and Hospitality Industry Salary Survey collated responses from more than 800 respondents in nine countries across the Asia-Pacific region, with answers coming from all ranks in the industry.

Singapore-based professionals made up the largest proportion of  respondents (37 per cent), followed by China (31 per cent), Hong Kong (17 per cent) and Thailand (four per cent).

Source: http://www.ttgasia.com