Three years after the world reopened post-pandemic, the global travel and tourism sector is still experiencing a shortfall in terms of human resources.
ACI HR Solutions CEO Andrew Chan pointed this out to attendees during his talk on Rethinking Talent Attraction in a Competitive Travel & Tourism Market on the final day of ITB Asia 2025 last 17th October.
Chan asked the audience to consider how things currently are with regard to hiring for travel, tourism, hospitality, and aviation, citing an ongoing shortage of talent despite the fact that the industry has recovered at a rapid clip since 2022.
He said: “I don't like to talk about COVID because I think that's years behind us, but it certainly has left an effect in terms of the labour market. While the industry has rebounded and rebounded strongly, there is still a severe talent shortage. So if anyone has made some hires recently or is in the middle of some hires, you're probably looking at some difficulties because the industry lost about 70 percent of staff during the pandemic.”
Indeed, statistics show that nearly three-quarters of the global travel and tourism workforce needed to leave the industry in order to find gainful employment.
However, even after travel routes reopened, not everyone who left the sector has returned, resulting in large gaps in the global talent pool.
At present, competition to snap up the best available talent has increased globally with hiring managers and HR departments closely scrutinising the skill sets of potential candidates, often regardless of their country of origin.
A significant shortfall
While sectoral recovery has been strong in the Asia-Pacific, staffing within the hospitality sector is still 20 percent lower than it was pre-2020.
Meanwhile, European airlines have been forced to cancel numerous flights as they do not have enough staff to keep their regular routes flying.
In terms of the food and beverage sector, many restaurants throughout North America and Australia have needed to scale down their operations by shortening their hours because they can’t find anyone to work in their establishments.
Chan pointed out” 80 percent of employers are reporting talent shortages in the industry at the moment; and the turnover in hospitality is two to three times the global average.”
One factor leading to this shortfall in talent is the generational shift in thinking with regard to employment regardless of sector.
Gen Z, in particular, prioritises flexibility and working with a purpose beyond a mere paycheck, essentially seeking occupations that fit both their schedules and values.
As Chan explains: “65 percent of Gen Zers prioritise flexibility over salary. They also want to be inclusive, as they want to work for sustainable and sustainability-focused organisations. For them, career development also means ensuring their well-being; so they want to work for an employer that suits their lifestyle.”
How companies are coping
As a key example of dealing with this evolving situation, Chan called on the audience to look at Marriott’s Serve 360 and Accor’s Work Your Wat programmes.
He said: “Marriott set up Serve 360 which puts a big focus on employees while working sustainably, and they make it a point to involve their employees. On the other hand, Accor has a program called Work Your Way, and this was developed (4:30) during COVID, so that employees can basically work their way, choose the hours that they want to work, and choose how they want to work. Since then it's been slowly integrated into their organisational culture.”
But he added that everyone, including industries as diverse as technology, healthcare, and retail, seems to be competing for the same shrinking pool of available talent and are targeting candidates with the same skill sets seen vital to travel and tourism.
Where does technology come in?
With regard to the application of contemporary technology in the workplace, Chan remarked that artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation are certainly going to be of great importance moving forward.
He remarked somewhat wryly: “I think you can't go to conferences nowadays without hearing the word or the term AI. There's a huge demand for digital fluency, data fluency, and AI skills. Recruitment, and HR are certainly using AI and analytics in their hiring processes.”
Chan pointed out that hospitality management companies like Hilton are using chatbots and AI for candidate screenings.
Airlines, on the other hand, are using virtual reality devices to train their cabin crew as a way of cutting costs whilst improving efficiency..
According to Chan: “This makes the tech shift very real in our industry. So think about how you can use or optimise it in your organisation as you hire people, eventually becoming a talent magnet for your industry, as well as for your brand.”
Brand building matters
Showcasing brands, as Chan puts it, and telling a compelling story that appeals to the preferences of today’s jobseekers could change the hiring game throughout the industry.
He said: “If you're currently in the hiring process, think about how you're going to sell your brand; showcase your culture, perks, and potential travel opportunities. I mean we're in the travel industry, so you know that's going to be something that's different.”
He likewise reminded the audience about what he said earlier about how employment is not about the salaries anymore.
He said: “Sustainability and flexibility are what’s important for Gen Zers. So think about your offerings when you're planning to do your next hiring campaign.”
