Over 1 million tourism jobs in the EU might remain vacant

Almost 1.2 million jobs in the industry might remain unfilled across the EU, warn the two organizations, while urging officials to address this problem urgently.

As the Travel & Tourism sector across the EU lost almost 1.7 million jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the beginning of travel restrictions being lifted, the sector started to revive. 571,000 jobs were recovered and revenue is expected to see a 32.9% increase to the EU economy, as tourism growth starts to accelerate.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, commented:

“Europe showed one of the strongest recoveries in 2021, ahead of the global average. However, current shortages of labour can delay this trend and put additional pressure on an already embattled sector.

“Governments and the private sector need to come together to provide the best opportunities for people looking for the great career opportunities that the travel sector offers.”

As forecasted, a 30% shortfall of workers will hit the industry during this summer season, with air travel and accommodation sectors expected to experience a 21% and 22% increase in vacancies respectively, translating into a considerable staff shortage rate.

In order to address this important issue, the World Travel & Tourism Council and the European Travel Commission have identified several urgent measures for the governments and the tourism sector to implement in the attempt to solve the current situation: boost labour mobility between countries, allow flexible or remote work as often as possible, provide work safety and career opportunities for new talent, offer comprehensive training, create public-private collaboration, innovate, implement digital solutions, improve daily operations and more. According to the two bodies, implementing the aforementioned solutions will empower the sector to retain more employees.

Luis Araujo, ETC President, added:

“Europe, as the leading and most competitive tourism destination in the world, is committed to becoming the most sustainable one. But the goal of the twin transition (green and digital) will only be achieved if we succeed in attracting and retaining talent for this sector. This is one of the biggest challenges for the sector and needs coordinated, multi-layered and joint (public and private) solutions.”

By retaining workforce, the tourism sector will also be able to meet the increasing customer demand this season, this way speeding up recovery and generating more economic income across the Union.

Source: breakingtravelnews.com