Tourism has shown no sign of weakness since activity started last year. On the contrary, in the first five months of 2023, the number of people visiting the country grew both on an annual basis and compared to 2019 – the best year yet in terms of demand. Even the tourism boards consulted by DN/Dinheiro Vivo are confident in a new record, even as growth takes place in the face of a labor shortage, which not only persists but tends to become more acute. Portuguese Catering Association (AHP) that there is currently a shortage of 45 thousand workers in the sector.
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), tourist accommodations in Portugal recorded 26.6 million overnight stays and 10.7 million guests from January to May. After all, this is a respective increase of 24% and 26% compared to last year and a mutual improvement of 15% compared to the first five months of 2019.
Cristina Siza Vieira, president of AHP, recalls that in 2022 the sector is “already completely skinned” by the lack of workers, because the levels are so close to 2019. “This year, as we grow more, we have even more difficulty responding to these requests. We have a very tight staff,” he says.
Statistics from that agency also reveal that in 2022, a total of nearly 287,000 people were employed in the hospitality and similar activities and accommodation. We are dealing with a loss of 34 thousand jobs (-10.6%), of which 31 thousand in the catering industry and similar accommodation. However, Ana Jacinto, general secretary of the Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Comparees de Portugal (AHRESP), points out that the data for the first quarter of 2023 “prints some encouragement”, with the Horeca channel (hotels, restaurants and cafes) in service , until March practically 323 thousand people.
“The lack of workers is one of the central problems of our companies, although it is not the only one. It is a reality that cuts across different economic activities, but has a particular impact on tourism,” said the official. The most difficult profiles to hire are still waiters, kitchen staff, cleaners, receptionists and maintenance staff. But more and more companies are also looking for professionals for administrative and support functions, reveals Cristina Siza Vieira.
Vila Galé, for example, has between 80 and 100 vacancies in its hotel units, most of which are for “field work”. The group, which has 31 hotel units nationwide, claims to have hired more than 750 people since the beginning of the year. “In addition to training the teams for the new hotels, as there is still a high seasonality in most regions, we generally need to strengthen the teams during the season from April to October, recruiting around 500 additional employees” , says the administrator Gonçalo Almeida revolts. Given the annual forecast, the recruitment rate is already around 86% – but domestic recruitment is challenging.
In the south, the Association of Hotels and Tourism Enterprises of the Algarve (AHETA) does not see a “major lack of human resources” and Hélder Martins, president of the entity representing the sector in the region, even says that the situation “is not so striking”, even much improved compared to last year. Still, it points to some flaw in the teams of housekeepingrestoration and maintenance.
The agreement with the CPLP does not meet expectations
Immigration has been part of an entire strategy for years to deal with the lack of workers in the tourism sector. And the fact is that, although they do not have exact data, the associations know that Brazilian nationalities and others from the countries of the Community of Lusophone Countries (CPLP) predominate, followed by geographical areas from South Asia and Eastern Europe.
Arguing that “immigration should be carried out in an organized and responsible manner, with decent working conditions, but also in terms of housing”, Ana Jacinto admits that the problem of labor shortage would certainly be “significantly greater if there were no foreign workers”.
As regards the impact of the agreement between the CPLP, which aims to facilitate mobility between Member States through a simplified visa issuance regime (an initiative seen by the industry as a solution to the challenge of labor shortage), Hélder Martins says it has been “very limited” so far. “We have noticed that citizens who intend to come and work in the Algarve have great difficulties in obtaining visas”.
The Secretary General of AHRESP also indicates that there are some restrictions regarding the agencies in the respective countries of origin. “Almost a year ago, the government set up a working group, the Visa Streamlining Coordination and Monitoring Group, precisely to study this whole issue,” he emphasizes.
The opinion is unanimous. Cristina Siza Vieira concludes, saying that the results “fall well short of what would be an optimal use of the tools provided for in the agreement”.
mitigating measures
Reducing the tax and social security burden on employment income, organized immigration, training and qualification excellence, bringing demand closer to supply and valuing professions are some of the strategies advocated by AHRESP to overcome the lack of workers in tourism activities. minimalize. This work, says Ana Jacinto, should be done with “different players, such as employers, employees, associations and government agencies”.
Progress has been made on some issues, such as the question of valuing careers. The AHP claims to have recently revised the collective bargaining agreement salary scale (whose number of employers and employees is close to 700 and 65 thousand, respectively) and implemented an overall increase of about 6.7%, with the increase in the national minimum wage, currently 760 euros. “Many have put in much more effort in terms of salary incentives and other cash prizes to keep more people in our area,” Siza Vieira testifies.
According to AHETA, salary increases in Algarve companies averaged about 10% to 15%, “which made recruitment easier in a way”, the president explains. But there are several companies that have offered other types of benefits to attract talent, the AHP points out, ranging “from the opportunity to spend holidays with the whole family on preferential terms in hotels, to international experiences, flexibility in schedules and the greatest balance between family and working life”.
Vila Galé, which invested 4.5 million euros to raise the minimum wage to 900 euros, is one of the groups offering perks such as discounts of up to 65% on services for employees and families, health insurance, productivity and free holidays with the brand. hotels. Yet the CEO does not fail to advocate for broader measures, with regard to encouraging births, supporting families with children, facilitating access to housing and responsible immigration policies.
Optimism for 2023
The outlook for 2023, namely for summer operation, is optimistic, with brokers predicting a new all-time high. Ana Jacinto emphasizes that “it is no coincidence that tourism is the main factor responsible for the economic growth recorded in Portugal, exceeding the expectations of the government and the main international entities”.
However, AHRESP, not neglecting the positive signs at the beginning of the year, warns of the importance of corporate profitability, noting that “it is essential to ensure business sustainability and job retention”. “We must not forget that the exponential rise in inflation we have experienced over the past year, especially in food, has brought a new challenge to the management of businesses, especially the hospitality and similar and tourist accommodation sectors.”
Concerns are also directed at families, the president of AHP indicates, pointing out that the internal market, which has a relevant weight on the balance sheet, has registered a certain slowdown.
Source: DN
