New research from Fáilte Ireland reveals that recruitment and retention challenges in the tourism sector have eased for the third consecutive year.
However, the report indicates that the labor market remains competitive despite positive impacts from recent employer initiatives.
Notably, the proportion of tourism employers facing significant recruitment difficulties for chefs has dropped from 88% in 2021 to 54% this year.
Additionally, only 24% of employers report current challenges in hiring bar staff, a marked improvement from 70% in 2021.
Similarly, the percentage of employers struggling to recruit waitstaff has fallen from 62% three years ago to just 17% today.
Despite these improvements, about one-third of employers still report difficulty in hiring drivers and managers.
Retention rates have also shown considerable improvement across various roles within the sector.
"It’s encouraging to see the progress our sector has made in creating attractive workplaces and reducing recruitment and retention challenges since 2022," said Jenny De Saulles, Fáilte Ireland's Director of Sector Development. "But it’s crucial to sustain this momentum. In today’s competitive labor market, there’s no room for complacency – businesses must continue to innovate, listen to their employees, and make tourism a desirable sector for long-term careers."
Still, challenges persist. Two-thirds of tourism providers report that recruitment and retention issues add stress to their operations, with 60% saying these challenges negatively impact customer experience.
However, only 14% now consider these challenges a threat to business viability, down from 30% in 2021.
The study also highlights that while significant progress has been made, employee perceptions of working conditions have not improved substantially over the past year. Fewer workers report receiving extra pay for unsocial hours, and perceptions of career advancement opportunities have declined. Fewer employees now see a long-term career path in tourism and hospitality.