“The shortage of workers will probably accompany the industry for a long time,” was the assessment of AMS boss Johannes Kopf at the request of APA. “Companies can only be advised to face these facts and work on concepts on how they can increase their attractiveness as an employer.” According to the industry, up to 35,000 people are missing, according to the AMS and the latest April data, there are 15,555. According to this figure, the gap has almost doubled within three years since April 2018, when there was a labor shortage of 8,600 people. The number of employees in the industry remained almost the same at a good 185,000 and now a good 188,000 people. April unemployment in 2022 was significantly lower than in previous years.
Corona restrictions as the cause
“The reasons for the high demand for employees certainly include catch-up effects after two years with Covid restrictions, the still good economy and the fact that fewer people are entering the industry than before,” says Kopf. The AMS supports the catering and tourism industry: A so-called business tour is currently taking place, during which 7,500 companies are visited. Head also appeals to companies to proactively report to the AMS. “Together we should find a solution that helps.”
The current ÖVP Secretary of State for Tourism, Susanne Kraus-Winkler, recently explained that the estimates of industry representatives go up to 35,000 missing employees, considering the entire core season of the summer. The Hoteliers’ Association (ÖHV) speaks of 20,000 to 25,000 missing employees. Some industry representatives are also expecting some structural adjustments.
Restaurateurs fear structural change
Minister of Labor Martin Kocher (ÖVP) saw the main reason for the lack of workers in gastronomy and tourism these days was “that so few people have switched to the industry or entered the industry in the last two years”. “Normally in two years 40,000 workers in Austria go into tourism. In the last two years it was only 20,000. And there were still no foreign skilled workers,” Kocher calculated.
Some restaurateurs also see major structural change coming, in part due to staff shortages. “The offer as we know it will no longer be there,” said the boss of the Villa Lido in Klagenfurt, Franz Huditz, only on Friday of the APA. In future, as in the USA, many quality establishments will no longer be able to do anything without a reservation. In the cheaper area, those involved in the Gastronomy and Tourism division of the Chamber of Commerce expect more self-service concepts. Other industry representatives also see days off in the high season, or that hotels do not offer à la carte cuisine because they are short of staff.
The lack of staff in tourism and gastronomy is a major issue for the industry in many European countries. In Italy, the restaurant and hotel industry – in which business is now picking up again – has around 390,000 jobs.
Source: Nachrichten
