The summer season is open, but many hotels in Turkey have problems with the service of tourists due to a lack of staff. In general, according to the Turkish press, Turkish hotels are looking for about 8,000 employees of various specialties in the resorts alone. Moreover, at all levels — from cleaners to administrators, without whom they simply cannot serve tourists.
Experts name several reasons for problems with personnel. One of them is the worldwide “post-war” trend. Reports prepared by the Tourism Employment Expansion Organization (TEEM) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) also draw attention to the employment problem in this sector, Turks write.
The fact is that the hotels that were closed for a long time due to the pandemic had to part with their employees, who in two years have already found another place of work and are in no hurry to return.
The second reason is competition and migration. As a member of the executive board of Silkar Turizm, Zeynep Silahtaroglu, complained, of the Turkish youth studying at tourism faculties, only 10% come to work in this sector, while most of them earn money quickly and within 4-5 years either move to other sectors or leave. the country “Most employees prefer to turn to international networks and go to countries where they can earn more. We are losing qualified employees whom we train in our sector, they are rapidly migrating to countries such as Egypt, the Far East, and Spain,” said the expert. However, there is also an influx — of workers from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Pakistan who appear in hotels in Turkey.
Another problem is providing existing employees, first of all, with housing. According to Caan Cavaloglu, president of the Mediterranean Association of Tourism Hoteliers and Operators (AKTOB), approximately 30-35% of hotel employees stay in rented accommodation. He recommends the state support tourism professionals in the field of housing construction. Also, employees need other social benefits, just like their employers.
However, Turkish experts add that there is also a plus. Especially given that “the economy is shrinking and unemployment news is frequent.” As the president of the Association of Personnel Managers (İNKAY) Ilhami Yavuz stated, there are serious opportunities for applicants in the tourism sector.