Recruitment and Retention Challenges in Tourism and Hospitality Sector Continuing to Ease, Fáilte Ireland Research Shows

Fáilte Ireland has released its Tourism Careers Labour Market Research 2024, revealing that recruitment and retention challenges in the tourism and hospitality sector have significantly eased since the peak difficulties in 2022.

The research was presented to business leaders from across the tourism industry at Fáilte Ireland’s Employer Excellence Exchange event in Clontarf Castle Hotel, in Dublin on Wednesday.

The research findings show that efforts to make tourism an appealing and rewarding industry are beginning to yield positive results. Key findings from the latest report include:

1. Reduced Recruitment and Retention Challenges: For the third consecutive year, difficulties in hiring and retaining talent have decreased as businesses have improved work environments and conditions. The 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.
2. Motivators for Talent: 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.
3. Gaps in Communication Persist: While employers report positive changes in work conditions, a significant gap remains between what businesses say they offer and employees’ perceptions. There will always be some lag between when a business makes a change and when employees recognise it. Effective internal communication of improvements remains essential to shift perceptions and enhance workplace morale.

 
Speaking about the research Jenny De Saulles, Director of Sector Development at Fáilte Ireland said: “It’s encouraging to see the progress our sector has made in creating appealing workplaces and narrowing the gap in recruitment and retention since 2022. Tourism is a sector that offers fulfilling and rewarding professions, and where employees feel passionate about their work. We can see the dial is positively shifting in how careers in the sector are perceived since the pandemic.

“However, we must keep building on this momentum. In a competitive labour market, it’s 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.  Fáilte Ireland remains committed to supporting the sector through programmes that advance both employer practices and employee satisfaction and showcasing the breadth and variety of courses and careers in the sector to attract future talent too.”

The research was undertaken in partnership with Jobs.ie.

Commenting on the research Christopher Paye, Revenue Director for The Stepstone Group in Ireland, with responsibility for Jobs.ie said: “With record numbers of people in work and continued low unemployment rates, there continues to be significant competition for talent across a range of sectors. In this recruitment environment, tourism and hospitality employers are proving to be responsive. Conducted in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, this research indicates that employers are evolving their talent offerings to attract top talent with flexibility, skills development and career progression a focus.

“Engaged, committed and motivated staff are essential to the success of any business but especially so in hospitality. Tourism relies on human connection to deliver exceptional service, with every guest interaction, from the first to the last, shaped by the business’s staff. It is why strategies to attract, recruit and retain key talent should remain a top priority for employers in the sector.”