The hospitality sector in Europe is grappling with severe skills shortages, a challenge that threatens its growth and operational efficiency. 10%–20% of positions in the accommodation sector – remain unfilled due to the lack of skilled applicants.7 Moreover, many of the current employees, particularly those under 25, possess lower-than-average qualifications. The problem is particularly acute in countries like Spain, where 16% of workers under 25 in the accommodation sector only have primary education.
This shortage affects both ends of the skills spectrum. While the sector struggles to attract highly skilled professionals, including university graduates, it also faces difficulties in retaining trained staff. This lack of skills development has resulted in limited career growth opportunities, prompting key industry stakeholders, such as EFFAT and Hotrec, to call for more robust skills development programs aimed at improving both recruitment and retention within the sector.
The European Commission has recognized the urgent need to bridge these gaps, emphasizing the importance of digital access to learning resources and lifelong learning opportunities. Without such interventions, small and independent accommodations, in particular, are at a disadvantage as they often lack the resources to provide formal training. This challenge further amplifies the competitive gap between small businesses and larger hotel chains, which have more structured training programs and resources for skill development.
