A perfect storm is coming to a struggling sector in Queenstown next month.

Hospitality businesses in the town are facing their worst staffing crisis just as international visitors return.

Many operators are paying $27 an hour for entry-level migrant labour, just to keep businesses open.

Hilton Queenstown general manager Chris Ehmann told Simon Barnett and James Daniels getting New Zealanders to live and work in Queenstown is difficult.

He says the pool of local workers to pick from is limited.

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