Ease in Hospitality Recruitment

Recruitment and retention challenges in the tourism and hospitality sector have eased significantly since the peak difficulties in 2022, according to the latest Tourism Careers Labour Market Research 2024 report from Fáilte Ireland.

“We can see the dial is positively shifting in how careers in the sector are perceived since the pandemic,” said Jenny De Saulles, director of sector development at Fáilte Ireland.

“However, we must keep building on this momentum. In a competitive labour market, it is clear that there’s no room to ease up – businesses need to keep innovating, listening to their employees, and striving to make tourism a sector of choice for long-term, meaningful careers.”

The Fáilte Ireland report notes that 64% of those currently employed in tourism and hospitality are looking to stay within the sector, but employers must stay competitive to retain talent, including by offering career growth, skills development and flexible work options.

The research indicates that passion, career progression opportunities, flexibility and accessibility of the sector continue to be major draws for employees in tourism. Improved perceptions of pay are also contributing to positive sentiments, with 60% of employees now reporting better compensation.

However, while employers report positive changes in work conditions, a significant gap remains between what businesses say they offer and employees’ perceptions. This could suggest a lag between when a business makes a change and when employees recognise it. Fáilte Ireland believes effective internal communication of improvements remains essential to shift perceptions and enhance workplace morale.