Spain screaming out for waiters as pandemic fuels tourism

Spain is expecting a record number of tourists to visit its sunny shores, sandy beaches and historical cities this year, despite prices projected to rise by up to 20% this summer.

But the biggest challenge for the hospitality sector these days is to find workers to try to meet the demand.

The pandemic is responsible for both the eagerness to travel and also workers' lack of trust and enthusiasm for the hospitality industry.

The tourism and hospitality sectors are hoping to surpass pre-pandemic figures, when 83.7 million foreigners visited the country. Data from the Spanish Hotel Alliance reveal that bookings for Easter Week are up 20 points on last year, and occupancy this summer is expected to exceed 90%.

Human resources company Randstad estimates that Spain will need at least 60,000 additional workers in the tourism and hospitality sector to cope with demand.

Leading companies such as Meliá have launched campaigns on social networks, looking for young talent wherever they can find it.

In Madrid, hospitality schools are saying that pupils are guaranteed to secure a job as soon as they graduate - if they want one.

Despite inflation and global economic and political uncertainty, Spain may experience the best (or worst) season in its history so far.