Busy summer exposes hospitality staffing crisis across the Costa Cálida

With hotels and restaurants enjoying a strong tourist season, employers say finding qualified workers has become one of the industry's biggest challenges

The Region of Murcia is in the middle of another busy summer, with hotels and restaurants reporting a strong season as holidaymakers continue to head for the Costa Cálida. But behind the scenes, many businesses say they're still facing the same problem they've been dealing with for years, finding enough qualified staff.

It's an issue that crops up every summer, but businesses say it has become increasingly difficult to recruit experienced workers. Chefs are among the hardest roles to fill, although employers say the shortage extends across much of the hospitality sector.

Training staff from the ground up

Many hotels and restaurants say they've had little choice but to train new staff themselves. Instead of recruiting experienced workers, they're increasingly taking on people with little or no previous experience and helping them learn on the job.

The approach allows businesses to fill vacancies during the busiest months of the year, but hospitality representatives say it can also make it harder to provide the level of service they'd like, particularly when new staff have only recently joined the industry.

Calls for training to keep pace

Hospitality businesses say one reason for the shortage is that public vocational training hasn't kept pace with the needs of today's industry. They would like to see courses updated and a greater focus placed on practical experience.

Many in the sector believe dual vocational training could help bridge the gap. The system allows students to divide their time between the classroom and the workplace, giving them valuable hands-on experience before they enter full-time employment.

In April, the Regional Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Businesses (HoyTú) signed an agreement with the regional Department of Education to expand intensive dual vocational training. Around 70 hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses joined the initiative, giving students more opportunities to gain paid workplace experience while they study.

A different view from the unions

UGT sees things differently. The union says the problem isn't just about training, but also about working conditions.

It argues that years of temporary contracts, low wages, long hours and high staff turnover have made hospitality a less attractive career for many people, while also discouraging businesses from investing in their workforce and helping employees develop their skills. Although permanent seasonal contracts have improved job security for some workers, UGT says too many businesses still rely on temporary hiring.

The union has also called for more vocational training places and additional skills courses through the Regional Employment and Training Service (SEF), saying better training and more stable employment need to go hand in hand.

There's little disagreement that tourism continues to perform well across the Region of Murcia. Where opinions differ is what's causing the shortage of skilled workers and how best to solve it. It doesn't mean every restaurant or hotel is affected, but if service feels a little stretched during the busiest weeks of summer, this could help explain why.

Read also:Spaniards increasingly worried about the "quality" of their jobs even as employment numbers improve

Image generated using AI