Croatia will need to import at least 35,000 workers for its lucrative summer tourism this year, and will have to offer higher salaries and other perks as Western European countries are also seeking foreign workers, the Novi List daily reported on Monday.
It quoted Veljko Ostojić, director of the Croatian Tourism Association, as saying the need for foreign workers was about 10% higher than in 2022, ranging from cooks and waiters to maids, handymen, and wellness experts.
Most of them are expected to come from Balkan neighbours – Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, and Macedonia – but also from Nepal, India, and the Philippines.
Some hoteliers are trying to attract the workforce by offering new benefits like a paid day off for one’s birthday, bonuses, free food and accommodation.
On top of that, “all companies are aware that salaries will need to rise, and that trend will continue this year,” Ostojić said, adding that surveys show the average salary in tourism had increased by 27.5% in the last two years.
At the same time, Novi List said, Germany is looking for 50,000 workers in the tourism sector and Austria for 40,000 people.
(Zoran Radosavljević | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
