Fáilte Ireland published the findings of its Annual Tourism Careers Labour Market Research 2025, highlighting that while the tourism and hospitality sector has made strong progress in rebuilding its workforce since the pandemic, momentum has now plateaued — and further action is needed to futureproof the industry. The research, supported and facilitated by Jobs.ie, was recently presented to leaders within the hospitality industry.
Key findings from the research include:
* Recruitment and Retention: Difficulty hiring managers dropped from 55% in 2021 to 29% in 2025. Retention of chefs has improved, with 39% of employers reporting little or no difficulty, up from 27% in 2024.
* Employee Sentiment: 86% of workers now see tourism as a long-term career, up from 71% in 2021. 51% cite passion for the job as a key motivator, rising to 72% among chefs.
* Pay and Conditions: 62% of workers say pay has improved. Better basic pay remains the top factor for attracting and retaining staff, but rewards for unsocial hours, particularly bank holidays, have recovered since 2024.
* Training and Development: Most employers want to support staff development, but 45% of small businesses cite a lack of resources as a barrier.
* Perception Gap: Only 20% of workers report receiving a pay rise, compared to 42% of employers providing pay increases, illustrating a disconnect in employer actions and what employees perceive to be the case.
Jenny De Saulles, Director of Sector Development at Fàilte Ireland, commented:
“This research shows just how far the sector has come since 2021, when 40,000 vacancies and negative perceptions threatened tourism’s recovery. Today, we see a workforce that is stable, passionate and more optimistic about long-term careers in tourism. From the employee perspective, we are seeing improved pay conditions, more positive experiences in the workplace, greater flexibility, better rewards for unsociable hours and career progression. These are all critical factors in building a resilient and competitive sector.
“But we cannot afford to stand still. If the plateau we’re seeing continues, we risk slipping into reaction mode just as other sectors are stepping up their efforts to attract talent and retain talent. To future proof tourism, we must keep our focus on people. That means investing in skills, communicating clearly and consistently, and prioritising employee development at every level.”
This research was undertaken in partnership with Jobs.ie. Commenting on the research, Christopher Paye, Country Director of The Stepstone Group Ireland, with responsibility for Jobs.ie says:
“Jobs.ie is delighted to support Fàilte Ireland with this insightful and valuable research, which shines a light on the progress made and the opportunities that still lie ahead for Ireland’s hospitality and tourism sector.
Despite uncertain economic times, recruitment in the sector is robust with almost a quarter of all jobs on Jobs.ie so far this year coming from hospitality employers with high demand for a variety of positions including Chefs de Partie, Accommodation Assistants, and Kitchen Porters.
The competition for talent remains strong, and employers must step up to show jobseekers what makes their business a great place to work. From improved pay and conditions to flexibility, recognition, and career progression, these are the elements that attract people in the door and keep them building long-term careers in the sector.
To hire the best, employers must also focus on the hiring process itself – communicating clearly with candidates as well as streamlining their application journey. A positive experience can be the difference between securing top talent and losing it to another sector.”
Speaking on the findings, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment, Peter Burke TD said:
“This research highlights the collective effort made by Government, Fàilte Ireland and the industry to rebuild the tourism workforce post-COVID. The sector has made real strides in improving working conditions, career pathways and perceptions. However, we must now focus on sustaining this progress and addressing the challenges that remain to ensure that businesses are in a competitive position to attract and retain the skills needed to futureproof the sector. From a Government perspective, we are focused on supporting SMEs to reduce the cost of doing business, which will be important in building business competitiveness and enhancing employment conditions. My Department is also working closely with key agencies and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Skills to develop long-term, sustainable, well-paid careers in the tourism industry and expand courses in tourism and hospitality.
While the sector has made significant gains, the research shows that progress has stalled over the past 12 months. Fàilte Ireland has highlighted three areas where employers can focus to reignite momentum: pay, communication, and employee development.
