Tourism : Labour shortage in hospitality sector reaches alarming levels, even 50 pct in tourist resorts

Staff shortages in HoReCa is estimated at 20-25% nationwide, and it can even reach 50% in tourist cities, in high season, the legislative measures and taxation of the labor force being an impediment in the employer-employee relationship, the Federation of Hospitality Industry Employers in Romania (FPIOR) draws attention in a press release sent on Monday.According to the cited source, FPIOR said that more than 20% of unskilled workers in the hospitality industry in Romania are foreign nationals."The biggest challenge of the hospitality industry at the moment is the lack of stability of the labour force. We have millions of Romanians abroad and there is no concrete strategy to bring them back. In these conditions, entrepreneurs are forced to hire foreign staff, even at higher costs, to ensure the continuity of the services offered to customers. Romanian unskilled workers are unmotivated, emotionally unstable and do not make rational decisions when it comes to the workplace, therefore most entrepreneurs in the field prefer to take unskilled foreign workers on the basic jobs of any business in the field - dishwasher, waiters, etc.," said FPIOR president, Valentin Soneriu, as quoted in the press release.According to HoReCa employers, legislative measures and taxation of the workforce can create significant difficulties between employers and employees. High taxes and complicated bureaucracy reduce net wages, which affects employee motivation. In addition, frequent changes in legislation create uncertainty and complicate human resource management. It is therefore important that legislation is clear and stable to support both employers and employees and create a more efficient working environment.The federation calls for concrete measures to support the hospitality sector, including tax breaks for employers, simplification of procedures for recruiting foreign workers and public policies to encourage the return of Romanian labor force to the country."It is essential for the state to understand the economic impact of this deficit and to work with the private sector for sustainable solutions. The hospitality industry is an important engine of the national economy and must be properly supported," added Soneriu.According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, in the first half of 2024, the number of employees in the hotel and restaurant sector increased by 6,800 people compared to the same period last year. However, the demand for skilled staff remains well above the existing supply, and entrepreneurs face increasing costs for recruiting, training and retaining employees.The INS also shows that, in January 2025, the gross average wage was 8,910 RON, 341 RON below the value in December 2024, while the net average was 5,328 RON, down by 5.6%. On the whole, the highest values of the net average wage were recorded in information technology service activities (including IT service activities) - 11,437 RON, and in the manufacture of coke oven products and products obtained from the processing of crude oil (10,877 RON), and the lowest in the manufacture of clothing (3,292 RON) and in hotels and restaurants (3,321 RON).