The US government urged the travel and tourism industry to solve unfilled jobs

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced that it believes 412,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States will remain unfilled this year.

According to WTC data, one in 18 travel and tourism jobs remained vacant in the first half of 2022, highlighting the skills shortage that has plagued the sector since the start of 2021. Approximately 321,000 positions remained unfilled during the January-June period.

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Labor shortages are expected to continue in the third quarter, with a record 412,000 sector job vacancies, a seven percent shortfall. In the year By 2021, the industry has welcomed 480,000 jobs back into the market as it recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

In the year Despite positive growth in 2021, tourism, accommodation and entertainment are experiencing severe labor shortages this year. Employers in the lodging industry continue to struggle to find suitable candidates for nearly one in seven hotel and resort job openings.

“As America pushes full steam ahead into a strong recovery for travel and tourism, the lack of qualified talent remains a major concern for the sector,” said WTC President Julia Simpson. “This is especially true with the sudden increase in international visitors after the removal of Covid tests for inbound travelers.”

WTC predicts a more positive outlook for this year and 2023 if government authorities and the public sector can work together to increase the supply of qualified workers and better attract the sector’s job opportunities.

Some of the key measures included in the report include facilitating labor movement across international borders, enabling flexible and remote work where possible, and ensuring good work and competitive employee benefits and compensation packages.

By taking appropriate measures to support growth in travel and tourism employment, WTTC officials believe the sector can surpass pre-pandemic levels and meet demand in the industry.

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