Tourism in Greece Hit by Staff Shortages, Spiraling Energy Costs
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Loading... - Cosette Escoffier
- 04 May 2022
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Tourism in Greece for Summer 2022 is threatened by staff shortages and spiraling energy costs, officials have warned.
Tourism is Greece’s key industry providing a quarter of Greece’s national income. A record number of tourists are expected this year following the lifting of all coronavirus-related restrictions.
Staff shortage of 50,000 in tourism
But Andreas Andreadis, honorary chairman of the association of Greek tourism enterprises (SETE), has warned Greece’s tourism industry is currently short of over 50,000 mainly kitchen and service staff.
The shortage of staff is surprising in a country that has one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe. According to the latest statistics from the month of February, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Greece stands at 12.8 percent. The jobless rate among people aged between 15 and 24 is 31.1 percent.
Why there is a shortage of staff in Greece?
Hotel owners across the country face acute shortages after two years of pandemic restrictions that have seen droves of hospitality workers seek work elsewhere.
But, as Giorgos Hotzoglou the President of the Workers Federation on Tourism and Hospitality said the vacancies are expected as working conditions and pay in the tourism sector are particularly bad.
“Employers differ from business to business. But, not all of them offer adequate wages for the seasonal worker to decide to go to an island for work,” Hotzoglou said speaking to ThessNews.
“Tourism companies who advertise for summer staff in Mykonos, Santorini or Paros, are offering a salary of 700 euros ($736) plus accommodation and food for seven days of work, up to 12 hours a day.
“These salaries are not representative of such working conditions and employees are justifiably turning down the job offers.”
Hotzoglou also noted that another factor that created the staff shortage in the Greek tourism industry is that the government is “dragging its feet” over extending unemployment benefits to the workers during the winter months.
As a result, he said, many workers sought work abroad while others turned to other industries.
Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias last month suggested some of these vacancies could be filled from among the over 22,000 refugees from Ukraine who have fled to Greece since Russia’s invasion in February.
Greece is issuing temporary residence permits to Ukrainian refugees, who will be able to stay and work in the country for one year.
Spiraling energy costs hits tourism in Greece
Inflation in Greece, driven by the energy price spike, is around eight percent, according to EU data agency Eurostat.
As energy and food costs are up, hoteliers say they are struggling to survive. Read More...
