London, UK – A new staff shortage analysis by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed a labor shortage in Portugal, with nearly 50,000 Travel and Tourism jobs across the country predicted to be unfilled.
The research looked at labor shortages across Portugal and other top travel and tourism destinations such as the US, France, Spain, the UK and Italy.
The data shows that Portugal is expected to see a shortage of 49,000 workers in the third quarter of 2022, with one in 10 vacancies expected to remain unfilled this year, making it the least affected country of those analysed. .
Before the pandemic, in 2019, more than 485,000 people were employed in Travel and Tourism in Portugal. But 2020 saw the loss of over 80,000 jobs.*
Portugal saw the start of recovery in 2021, with a 32.6% increase in the sector’s contribution to the national economy. However, staff shortages have been widespread in the country, with thousands of vacancies remaining unfilled, putting the sector under pressure.
WTTC analysis shows that the hospitality industry in Portugal is expected to be the most affected, as both the hotels and the food and beverage segments are predicted to account for 13% (one in eight) and 12% (one in eight) of jobs incomplete, respectively.
Julia Simpson, President and CEO of WTTC said: “The Portuguese government has always put Travel and Tourism at the top of its agenda and is already addressing this issue with strategic measures.”
“The Ministry of Tourism in Portugal is very proactive and has introduced a flexible visa policy to attract talent. They are doing a great job.”
“The future of Travel and Tourism in Portugal looks bright and to ensure a full recovery of the economy and the sector, we need to fill these vacancies to ensure that Portugal meets the long-awaited demands of travelers.”
Last week the WTTC revealed that up to 1.2 million Travel and Tourism jobs across the EU will go unfilled, with hospitality, aviation and travel agencies most affected.
Some of the key measures identified in the report for governments and the private sector to address the talent gap are:
- ease labor mobility across international borders, with more favorable visa policies
- Enable flexible and remote work where possible – allowing for part-time or contractor-based opportunities where possible
- sure decent work and competitive employee benefits and compensation packages
- Attracts talent improving the perception of jobs and promoting sustainable career paths with growth opportunities
- Develop and sustain a skilled workforce through comprehensive educational programs as well as upgrading and retraining current talent
- adopt innovative technological and digital solutions to relieve pressure on staff, improve day-to-day operations and an improved customer experience.
The global tourism organization believes that by implementing these measures, Travel and Tourism businesses will be able to attract more workers.
This in turn would enable the sector to meet ever-increasing consumer demand and further accelerate its recovery, which is the backbone for generating economic prosperity across the country.
*Refers to total DIRECT employment.
About WTTC
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the global private travel and tourism sector. Members include 200 CEOs, Chairmen and Presidents of the world’s leading travel and tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to raising the awareness of governments and the public about the economic and social importance of the travel and tourism sector.
According to WTTC’s 2021 Economic Impact Report, during 2020, a year devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Travel and Tourism contributed 5.5% to global GDP and was responsible for 272 million jobs.
WTTC Press Office
WTTC
