The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) has welcomed the publication of new research by Fáilte Ireland showing the significant progress being made in addressing recruitment challenges across the tourism and hospitality industry.
According to the 2025 Tourism Careers Labour Market Research, employee sentiment has increased significantly in recent years, with some 86% seeing tourism as a long-term career, up from 71% in 2021. Other key findings include a large drop in the number of businesses now finding it difficult to recruit new employees compared with 2021, including significant progress in hiring people for accommodation services, bar services and waiters/waitresses. While there has been an improvement recruiting chefs, over half of hospitality business (52%) still report considerable difficulty filling these positions.
IHF President Michael Magner said: “We have made enormous strides in recent years investing in people development, upskilling and promoting careers within our sector. This is a key priority for Irish hotels and guesthouses, as clearly reflected in today’s research findings which we welcome.
“Our people are absolutely vital to the success and long-term development of our hotels sector. They are the defining characteristic of Irish hospitality – recognised the world over for our excellent service and our warm welcome, all of which is down to our amazing people.”
Commenting on the career opportunities in tourism, Mr Magner said: “A career in tourism presents a wide range of exciting options suitable for individuals at any stage of their working lives. One remarkable aspect of pursuing a career in our sector is the unparalleled flexibility it provides. We understand the growing demand for greater flexibility over work hours, especially among those re-entering the workforce. Hotels and guesthouses are uniquely positioned to accommodate these needs.”
Mr Magner noted that there are potential careers in everything from food and beverage services, accommodation services, leisure centre and spa management, sales and marketing, human resources, IT, management, finance and meeting and event planning.
He said: “It is a very exciting time for people working within our sector, with so many career opportunities open to everyone. Hotels and guesthouses are right at the heart of this supporting over 69,000 livelihoods across the entire country. We’re always looking to attract more people to our sector.”
