Tourism needs real perspectives: Eberhart warns of wage pressure!

Tourism needs real perspectives: Eberhart warns of wage pressure!

On July 8, 2025, the challenges in the Austrian tourism sector will be made aware of the challenges. Eva Eberhart, chair of the Tourism Department in the VIDA union, evaluates the further development of Plan T as positive. This initiative could be crucial for the industry, but Eberhart calls for stronger focus on the working conditions of the employees. Tourism has proven to be an essential economic engine after pandemic, but Eberhart warns of the consequences of poor interest.

The employees would not be sufficiently integrated into crucial processes, which means that many people avoid the industry. Although there have been some improvements for employees in recent years, she criticizes the strategy of politics to compensate for the shortage of labor with low -cost workers from the Western Balkans and third countries. According to the Eberhart, this practice leads to wage pressure and precarious working conditions, which many potential employees deter.

Current situation in the job market

In tourism there are numerous vacancies, especially for cooks and waiter. Johannes Kopf, the head of the labor market service (AMS), describes this deficiency as a system inherent. The industry needs around 40 percent new workers every two years, especially in the evening and on weekends. The retirement of the baby boomer generation also exacerbates the shortage of workers.

After demographic change, more 65-year-olds are currently retired than 15-year-olds who move up. This development ensures high fluctuation, as many employees leave the industry to found families or to take new life paths. The number of unreported places is estimated to be twice. At the end of March 2023, almost 9,000 vacancies were registered in the tourism sector, 2.105 less than in the previous year.

Perspectives for employees in tourism

Despite these challenges, the economic association reported around 18,000 vacant jobs in tourism in February 2024. Currently around 237,000 people work in the industry, which represents an increase of 2,500 employees compared to the previous year. Around 40 percent of the workers come from domestic, while 40 percent also travel from other EU or EEA. Only 20 percent come from third countries.

In the past few months, the number of apprentices in tourism has increased by 3.5 percent to around 7,000. Nevertheless, the long -term attractiveness of the profession remains questionable. Eberhart warns that many potential workers will stay away without rethinking in terms of working conditions. In 2024, unemployment in the tourism industry was 12.7 percent, which corresponds to over 33,000 people, looking for employment.

requirement for better conditions

Finally, Eberhart emphasizes the urgency that the tourism profession has to offer long -term perspectives and create appealing working conditions in order to ensure a sustainable job offer. Measures on the part of politics are essential to address the problem mentioned. Chamber of Commerce President wants institutions such as a "total release of the seasonal quotas" to counteract the deficiency. But the AMS boss sees only limited possibilities for implementation.