Trained Personnel Crisis in the Tourism Sector: The Search for an Urgent Solution Continues
The tourism sector is experiencing a major employment crisis, facing a shortage of trained personnel. The fact that more and more graduates are leaving the sector every day is described as ‘escape’ by experts and urgent solutions are being sought. Escape from tourism continues!
Educated Labor Crisis in the Tourism Sector: Only 10 Percent Is Permanent
According to Ceren Deniz from GazeteDuvar, the tourism sector has been facing a lack of trained personnel in recent years. Industry representatives demand that a new tourism law be implemented urgently to prevent this situation. As of 2024, the biggest problem for tourism professionals is finding qualified workforce. With a steady departure from the industry, many hotel businesses are struggling to find staff. This problem is being expressed more and more. The fact that tourism graduates turn to non-sectoral fields and the decrease in interest in tourism education is emphasized by sector professionals. Insufficient personal rights of employees, excessive overtime, seasonal work and frequent crises are among the main reasons for this disengagement.
Workforce Alarm in Tourism: Only 10 Percent of Graduates Stay in the Profession
4 Ways to Solve Hotel Staffing Shortages and Improve Recruitment
Feridun Ergün, Board Member of Tourism Alumni Federation (TURMEFED) and President of Balıkesir Tourism Management Alumni Association (BTİOYOMD), states that a tourism law that will professionally protect tourism employees is needed as a solution to this employment problem in the sector. Ergün states that only 10 percent of those who receive tourism education remain in the profession, and the rest look at the sector as a temporary job. Ergün also points out that only 10 percent of the staff working in hotels in Turkey are tourism graduates. He emphasizes that even the Ministry of Culture and Tourism does not require a tourism degree in personnel advertisements. Gıyas Şahin, General Manager of Bellis Deluxe Hotel Belek, touches upon the difficulties experienced in retaining qualified personnel. Şahin states that they are trying to offer better conditions to prevent the loss of qualified personnel. According to the report of the Antalya City Council Tourism Working Group, the escape from tourism accelerated after the pandemic. The report states that employees are moving away from the sector due to long periods of unemployment and poor conditions. It is emphasized that in order to solve these problems, the conditions of the tourism sector should be equalized with other sectors and concrete steps such as tourism law should be taken.
