A quick recovery for tourism implies facing staff shortages

In 2019, Travel & Tourism was projected to create 100 million new jobs over the next ten years. Indeed, at a global level, it accounted for 1 in 10 jobs. New major research, together with a high demand for summer vacation, highlights the sector potentiality to experience a quick recovery and return to pre-pandemic level over the next year. However, after two years of COVID-19 emergency, Travel & Tourism is dealing with a big issue: staff shortages.  

An analysis provided by WTTC, in collaboration with Oxford Economics, reveals that, across the six countries involved in the research, employment demand surpasses the available labour supply, leading businesses to struggle in order to fill job vacancies. 

WTTC identifies 5 recommendations that should be considered when implementing policies and initiatives addressing the challenge of staff shortages within the sector: 

1. Facilitate labour mobility, by removing travel restrictions and implementing technological solutions for a quick and efficient experience 
2. Implement hybrid and remote work, when feasible  
3. Put safety and mental wellbeing first, also by reducing fears around financial security and unemployment 
4. Upskill and reskill workforce to face current needs and anticipate future challenges, especially those linked to digital transformation 
5. Support educational programmes and apprentice-based training, by increasing cooperation among public sector, employer organisations and associations. 

At Twissen we observe that, before the pandemic, temporary employment and part-time jobs were relevant indicators of an unstable and changing sector. This scenario has worsened due to the crisis, which led many employees to move to other sectors because of a lack of continuity. Since tourists are ready to travel again, this issue needs to be faced immediately with the aim of keeping a high service quality and finding efficient instruments for the education and retention of future workforce.  

Twissen