It found that more than a third of Kiwi hospitality and tourism workers experienced bullying and harassment by customers in 2025. Neurodivergent and ethnically diverse workers reported higher levels of bullying and harassment compared with neurotypical and New Zealand European workers. AUT School of Hospitality and Tourism associate professor David Williamson said understanding the reality of New Zealand’s tourism and hospitality workforce is essential to the long-term success of the industry. AUT Business School professor Candice Harris, who co-authored the study, said the tourism and hospitality workforce has long faced on‑the‑job challenges. However, less than one-third of all respondents reported that their organisation actively raised neurodiversity awareness (27%) or improved employment practices regarding neurodiversity (28%).

Source: New Zealand Herald February 26, 2026 06:10 UTC