Queensland Hotels Association

What Queensland Hotels Association does

The Queensland Hotels Association (QHA) is a non-profit peak industry body representing hospitality businesses across Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1885 and headquartered in Brisbane with a 30-person staff, QHA serves over 1,227 hotel members ranging from family-run pubs to large hotel groups and resort properties. Its five core service lines — Training, Liquor & Gaming, Accommodation, Employment Relations, and Industry Engagement — combine specialist advisory, regulatory advocacy, and professional development for hoteliers and publicans navigating complex liquor, gaming, and industrial relations frameworks.

QHA's product portfolio includes employment relations consultancy ($250/hour plus GST), Fair Work Commission representation, an HR Manual ($500-$995) with annual update subscriptions, position description packages, long service leave calculations (free up to three per member), and a catalogue of downloadable and physical shop products. Its flagship technology asset is the Tourism Intelligence Dashboard, powered by Localis, which delivers exclusive member access to real-time visitation trends, forward demand insights, fuel availability by LGA, booking patterns, and a Queensland Industry Pulse Survey. Members also access the monthly QHA Review journal, the QHA Update newsletter, and the Here's Cheers podcast distributed via iTunes, Spotify, and Buzzsprout.

Revenue is generated through a diversified model combining recurring membership fees, ticketed events (Awards for Excellence, Employment Relations Conference, Steak Sandwich Competition, Hotel Market & Economic Outlook), paid professional services, e-commerce shop sales, and a tiered corporate partner sponsorship program (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver) featuring 50+ brands including Diageo, Carlton & United Breweries, Westpac, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Aristocrat, TAB, IGT, Mullins Lawyers, and Hostplus. Distribution is primarily direct-to-member across Queensland, with national advocacy coordinated through the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) network, and a minor geographic reach through the Outback Music Trail cultural tourism partnership with Queensland Music Trails.

Name

Queensland Hotels Association

Legal name

Queensland Hotels Association

Website

https://qha.org.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Queensland Hotels Association is a Brisbane-based non-profit peak industry body founded in 1885 that represents and serves over 1,227 hotel and hospitality members across Queensland through advocacy, specialist advisory, training, events, publications, and a Tourism Intelligence Dashboard.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Industry Association Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Services Membership Clubs (Ancillary Services-Led) (CRAEADAK)

Keywords

• Hospitality industry association
• Hotel advocacy services
• Employment relations advisory
• Liquor gaming compliance
• Hospitality training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The QHA represents and advocates for hospitality businesses as a peak industry body. Membership provides access to training, employment relations services, liquor and gaming advice, accommodation services, and industry engagement support.
2. Events and Conferences: Revenue from ticketed events including the Employment Relations Conference ($119-$129 per ticket), Steak Sandwich Competition, Hotel Market & Economic Outlook, and Awards for Excellence.
3. Shop Products: Sale of HR manuals, policies, templates, position descriptions, and stationery products including the ER Manual ($500-$995), HR Policies ($100-$150), Position Descriptions ($275-$475), and other employment-related templates.
4. Employment Relations Consultancy: Professional consultancy services at $250 plus GST per hour for complex employment relations matters including representation before Fair Work Commission, enterprise agreement negotiation, workplace investigations, and in-house training.
5. Training Programs: Professional compliance and development training courses, both accredited and non-accredited, for hospitality industry professionals.
6. Long Service Leave Calculations: Long Service Leave Calculations provided free for QHA Members (up to three per year), with paid service at $99 per calculation for members beyond the free tier and $169 for non-members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Queensland Hotels Association operates as the peak industry body for Queensland's hospitality sector, delivering advocacy and specialist advisory services to hotel, pub, and accommodation operators. Its member offerings span five service lines — Training, Liquor & Gaming, Accommodation, Employment Relations, and Industry Engagement — supplemented by access to the Localis-powered Tourism Intelligence Dashboard, member-exclusive events (Awards for Excellence, Employment Relations Conference, Steak Sandwich Competition), media (QHA Review, QHA Update, Here's Cheers podcast), and an online shop selling HR compliance documentation, templates, and stationery.

Product overview

Queensland Hotels Association is a peak industry body offering a portfolio of services to hospitality businesses across Queensland. The core offerings include Training Services, Employment Relations advisory services, Liquor & Gaming guidance, Accommodation sector advocacy, and Industry Engagement support. Members also receive access to the Tourism Intelligence Dashboard (powered by Localis) for real-time tourism data insights. The association publishes the QHA Review (monthly industry journal), QHA Update newsletter, and Here's Cheers podcast. Annual events include the Awards for Excellence, Employment Relations Conference, and Steak Sandwich Competition. The QHA Shop offers downloadable and physical products including the HR Manual (comprehensive employment documentation guide), HR Policy documents, Position Descriptions, Discipline & Termination Templates, Award Covered Appointment Letters, Apprentice Appointment Templates, Long Service Leave Calculations, 2027 Table Bookings Diary, and Doggy Bag Labels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• QHA Review: Official monthly industry journal with in-depth stories, news, legislative updates, advice from industry experts, and engaging insights.
• QHA Update
• Here's Cheers Podcast

Products and services

• Training Services Professional compliance and development training courses, both accredited and non-accredited, for hospitality industry professionals and operators.
• Liquor & Gaming Services Specialist guidance on liquor and gaming-related matters including practical resources for legislation and expert insights on gaming and liquor compliance issues for member operators.
• Accommodation Sector Advocacy Professional advocacy and representation on tourism legislation, marketing strategy, risk management, airline regulation, and accommodation sector matters.
• Employment Relations Services Specialist advice in employer advocacy, agreement making, and industrial instrument interpretation including award wage rate sheets, compliance assistance, and consultancy services at $250 plus GST per hour.
• Industry Engagement Services External relations management including government liaison, member and partner relationships, communications activities, and events programme coordination.
• Tourism Intelligence Dashboard Live online platform providing real-time tourism market data, forward demand insights, booking patterns, and industry sentiment; an exclusive QHA member benefit powered by Localis.
• QHA Awards for Excellence Annual awards ceremony (33rd edition in 2026) celebrating excellence in Queensland's hospitality industry across multiple categories including accommodation, dining, entertainment, and community service.
• Employment Relations Conference 2026 Annual conference addressing the evolving employment relations landscape for hospitality employers, featuring networking, lunch, and expert presentations; tickets $119 for QHA Members and Partners, $129 for Non-Members.
• Queensland's Best Steak Sandwich Competition Queensland's Best Steak Sandwich Competition celebrating culinary excellence in the hospitality industry.
• QHA Review Official monthly industry journal delivered to all members, featuring in-depth stories, news, legislative updates, advice from industry experts, and venue showcases.
• QHA Update Newsletter Newsletter filled with breaking news, developments, and corporate partner offers relevant to Queensland publicans and hoteliers, published regularly.
• Here's Cheers Podcast Podcast featuring interviews with hoteliers, publicans, industry innovators, and decision-makers, hosted by QHA Chief Executive Bernie Hogan; available on iTunes, Spotify, and Buzzsprout.
• ER Manual (HR Manual) Comprehensive reference guide for employment-related documents including policies, employment contracts, position descriptions, correspondence templates, and fact sheets under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020; available as base product (from $500 members / $995 non-members) with annual subscription for updates at $95 inc GST per year.
• HR Policies (Single product offering — Members and Non-Members editions) Human resources policy documents covering legal and operational requirements including anti-discrimination, workplace harassment, responsible service of gambling, and work health and safety; $100 for Members, $150 for Non-Members. Individual policy types are available for separate purchase.
• Position Descriptions Package Package of template position descriptions for hospitality award streams including clerical, food & beverage, front office, guest services, gardening, leisure attendant, kitchen, and security roles; $275 for Members, $475 for Non-Members.
• Long Service Leave Calculations Long service leave calculation service provided free for QHA Members (up to three per year); $99 per calculation for members beyond the free tier, $169 per calculation for non-members, with two-week turnaround; expedited service at $205 plus GST per hour for members.
• Discipline & Termination Templates Template discipline and termination letters including notice of meeting, warning letters, serious misconduct termination, resignation confirmation, and redundancy termination templates.
• Award Covered Appointment Letter Pro-forma appointment letter templates for permanent and casual award-covered staff under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020.
• Apprentice Appointment Template Template letter of appointments for full-time and part-time apprentices employed under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2010 and Queensland Industrial Relations Commission Division 2B State Awards; $99–$200 depending on membership status.
• 2027 Table Bookings Diary A4 bookings diary with two pages per day, forward and current year planners, and public/school holiday dates for Australia and New Zealand; $105 plus postage and handling, made in Australia.
• Doggy Bag Labels Pack of labels for packaging food taken away from hotel premises, advising correct storage and reheating; pack of three rolls with 100 labels per roll (300 labels total) for $45.

Quantifiable outcome

• QHA estimates that excise tax increases will cost a small pub around $5,400 a year, demonstrating the financial impact of their advocacy work on member businesses.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, platinum, diamond, gold, silver and core.

• Queensland Music Trails / Queensland Music FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2025QHA partners with Queensland Music Trails for The Outback Music Trail 2026 & 2027, a cultural tourism experience. The 2024 trail drew 2,500+ attendees generating $579,000+ in visitor expenditure. Partners receive support in artist curation, event management, marketing, PR, and technical setup.
• Aristocrat Leisure IndustriesplatinumOthersAristocrat is a Platinum tier partner and preferred supplier of gaming technology to QHA members. The partnership provides exclusive offers including the Cash Express Legend product launch featured in QHA communications.
• TABplatinumOthersTAB is a Platinum tier partner providing racing and sports betting services to Queensland hotels. Featured in corporate partner listings and gaming venue partnerships.
• Carlton & United Breweries (CUB)platinumOthersCUB is a Platinum tier partner and major beverage supplier to QHA member hotels across Queensland.
• The Lottery CorporationplatinumOthersThe Lottery Corporation is a Platinum tier partner operating Keno gaming in Queensland hotels. Keno Outstanding Community Service awards are part of the partnership.
• ALM (Australian Liquor Marketers)platinumOthersALM is a Platinum tier partner providing liquor wholesale services with locations in Brisbane, Townsville, and Cairns.
• IGTplatinumTechnology or IntegrationIGT is a Platinum tier partner and gaming technology provider to QHA member hotels.
• Coca-Cola Europacific PartnersdiamondOthersCCEP is a Diamond tier partner and beverage supplier to QHA member hotels.
• DiageodiamondOthersDiageo is a Diamond tier partner and premium spirits supplier to QHA member venues.
• MAXdiamondTechnology or IntegrationMAX is a Diamond tier partner and gaming technology provider.
• PFD Food ServicesdiamondOthersPFD Food Services is a Diamond tier partner and major food supplier to hospitality venues.
• Mullins LawyersdiamondOthersMullins is a Diamond tier partner providing legal services including migration updates, duty of disclosure guidance, and licensing advice to QHA members.
• Suntory OceaniadiamondOthersSuntory Oceania is a Diamond tier partner and beverage supplier.
• Treasury Wine EstatesgoldOthersTreasury Wine Estates is a Gold tier partner and wine supplier.
• Brown-FormangoldOthersBrown-Forman is a Gold tier partner and spirits supplier.
• Bunnings TradegoldOthersBunnings Trade is a Gold tier partner and building supplies provider.
• Trans Tasman Energy Group (TTEG)silverOthersTTEG is an energy consultancy offering complimentary electricity contract reviews for QHA members. Case study shows $232,000 savings for Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort.
• LocaliscoreTechnology or IntegrationLocalis powers the Tourism Intelligence Dashboard, an exclusive QHA member benefit providing real-time tourism data, forward demand insights, booking patterns, and regional performance comparisons.
• DrinkWiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrinkWise partnership promotes responsible drinking campaigns in QHA member venues during major sporting events including NRL State of Origin and AFL/NRL Finals. Includes digital artwork for venue displays and social media engagement.
• Australian Hotels Association (AHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQHA operates as part of the AHA network, collaborating on national advocacy including liquor excise freeze campaigns and sharing resources on hospitality industry issues affecting members.
• Oatley Fine Wine MerchantssilverOthersOatley Fine Wine Merchants is a preferred supplier and partner featured in QHA member communications.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Accommodation Association of Australia: National industry association representing accommodation providers in Australia, overlapping with QHA's accommodation sector advocacy and member services. Similar trade-body model serving the same hospitality customer base.
• Restaurant & Catering Australia: National industry association for restaurants, catering, and hospitality venues in Australia. Directly comparable member services portfolio (advocacy, training, compliance) targeting overlapping hospitality operators.
• Australian Hotels Association: National peak industry body for Australia's hotel and hospitality sector, of which QHA is the Queensland state affiliate. Provides closely aligned advocacy, training, employment relations, and member services across the same customer segment.
• Tourism Industry Council of Queensland: Queensland-based peak body for the tourism industry, working alongside QHA on tourism advocacy, policy, and intelligence. Operates a closely aligned mandate and member profile within the same state.

Broad incumbents

• UKHospitality: UK-wide trade association representing the hospitality sector, broadly comparable to QHA in mission and member services (advocacy, training, compliance support). Larger geographic scope but operating in a different regulatory environment.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association: Largest national hospitality trade association in the United States, providing advocacy, training, and member services to hotels and lodging operators. Comparable in trade-body model but operates at a much larger scale in a different market.

Others

• Australian Retailers Association: National retail industry association providing advocacy, training, and compliance support for Australian retailers. Comparable trade-body structure and member service model, with some overlap in liquor retail among QHA members.
• Master Grocers Australia: Industry association representing independent retailers in Australia, including convenience and liquor retailers. Comparable trade-body model with advocacy, training, and compliance services for an adjacent retail/hospitality customer segment.

Regional players

• Australian Hotels Association (NSW): State-level hotel industry association for New South Wales, the closest sister organization to QHA in terms of structure, services, and customer base. Directly comparable but operates in a different Australian state.
• Hospitality NZ: New Zealand's national hospitality industry association representing hotels, restaurants, and cafés. Operates a similar trade-body model with advocacy, training, and member services in a comparable Asia-Pacific regulatory environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/queensland-hotels-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Queensland Hotels Association