Spanish hotels boost employment to record levels in full leap towards high-end

The latest report on the tourism situation from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) provides revealing data on employment in the sector: Spanish hotels closed October with more than 280,000 workers. The record, naturally, is not the highest in the annual series in a year where 327,000 employees have been reached in the month of August, but it shows progress in the deseasonalization that the sector so strongly pursues after leaving behind the interannual comparison with some 10,000 more employed.

To understand the magnitude of these employment volumes, it would be advisable to look back, even beyond the pandemic. Then, the 280,000 workers were synonymous with a record; with the difference that they were reached at the peak of the summer season (they were only exceeded in July and August 2019 since there are records), and the certainty that the number of establishments was even slightly higher than the 15,430 hotels that opened their doors last month.

The boost in employment, experts explain, is the result of a perfect storm that has accelerated the tourism recovery with a firm commitment to the repositioning of hotels towards a higher value service to squeeze the strong demand from international tourists, who will be on the verge of being 100 million in 2025. “While in one or three star hotels five employees are needed for every 100 beds, In four or five star hotels, 20 workers are required to serve the same beds.“explained the vice president of the Exceltur tourism alliance, Óscar Perelli, in a recent consultation.

And this factor, in a map where 160 one and two star establishments have been deleted in favor of 445 new four and five star establishments Since 2019, according to INE data, it has been decisive in boosting employment, which also benefits from the growth in overnight stays. In more detail, the records place four-star hotels, those that lead the hotel market in number, as the main engine of employment in the sector with almost 151,000 workers. Behind them are three, with a similar number of establishments and 54,400 employees; followed by the 46,000 used by those of five, with much less weight in the square.

“The repositioning of the offer is forcing companies in the sector to provide a higher value service because they charge more for it” The same manager recently commented before showing with data how this trend also provides higher quality employment with more employees with permanent contracts and a lower temporary employment rate. “Tourism companies have maintained their commitment to improving the remuneration of their workers, driven by sharing the positive business results, the need to attract talent and the transition to higher-paying profiles due to the competitive repositioning process,” the employers’ association added.

Hotels and academies strengthen ties to cover employment

From another angle, undertaking a supply transformation of this caliber carries the risk of causing a gap between the employment demanded and the positions to be filled. In this context, there are references from the sector such as the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) that have been warning that the Spanish industry may suffer. a deficit close to 780,000 jobs in the tourism sector in a decade if current trends persist without intervention, which would represent 20% of the positions in demand.

The sector, however, seems to take on the challenge by strengthening its ties with institutions that offer qualified training, promoting specific programs to cover advanced hospitality profiles. This strategy is reflected in agreements such as the one that the Balearic chain Meliá Hotels signed weeks ago with the hotel management school Les Roches with the aim of anticipating market needs and guaranteeing a constant flow of highly trained professionals for its hotels.