THE Scottish hospitality and tourism industry will need to employ more than 73,500 additional people during the next seven years to keep pace with the expected growth of the sector, a new study has claimed.
The State of the Nation 2013 report by skills council People 1st predicted the hospitality sector workforce in Scotland will grow by 16,100 by 2020 as a result of “significant” investment in the industry and major events, like the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup in 2014. Taking into account replacement demand, People 1st said 73,600 people will need to be recruited over the next seven years.
The sector currently employs 202,700 people in Scotland, accounting for one in 13 Scottish jobs, the report said.
David Allen, director of People 1st Scotland, said the sector will face “significant pressure” in the future as the skills needs predicted to grow are already in short supply.
“The Scottish Government has invested heavily in the hospitality and tourism industry in the lead up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Scottish Homecoming in 2014, and we’re growing in importance to the Scottish economy,” he said.
“As the economy picks up and we face recruitment competition from other industries, ensuring our staff have the right skills is going to become even more important.”
Image – The hospitality workforce is set to grow.
