Debleena Majumdar, The Economic Times

Hiring surge in travel and tourism: What it means for mid-career and senior roles


News1

A recent article posted by The Economic Times talks about how India's travel and tourism sector has rebounded post-pandemic, contributing Rs 16.5 trillion to the economy and creating 39 million jobs by 2020. The sector is also witnessing a spike in demand for Al specialists and data operations in the hospitality industry.

India's travel and tourism has seen quite a rebound after the pandemic, with the sector estimated to contribute Rs 16.5 trillion to the economy over the last year. It is also one of the sectors that has been generating employment, and in both large and small cities. By 2020, it had created 39 million jobs, 8% of our country's workforce.

 

According to data from TeamLease Degree

Apprenticeship, tourism talent demand saw a 44% spike in August 2023. And 1.6 million more jobs are expected to be added through the year. By 2033, it estimates 58.2 million jobs to be added in the sector.

Two other trends are driving transformation in the sector. First, there are emerging specialised travel verticals for destination weddings, religious tourism, international tourism, adventure sports, ecotourism, cultural tourism and rural tourism. Sustainable tourism is also seeing a global interest.

 

The iobs do not iust include full-time employment but also include gig models to address talent demand when there is a high influx of tourists. From January 2023,

TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship reports a 14% increase in gig roles with some of the roles including tour guides, photographers and translators. This is expected to increase by 18-20% over the next two years.

 

Types of jobs in demand

The jobs that are expecting a high demand include sales (18% increase), business development (17% increase), chefs (15% increase), travel consultants (15% increase), tour operators (15% increase), travel agents (15% increase), hoteliers (15% increase), guides (20% increase), wildlife experts (12% increase), and transportation providers (15% increase).

 

As of March 2024, half of the online jobs in the domain were for freshers or for people with 0-3 years of experience. There were also intermediate level roles for people with 4-6 years of experience - comprising 30% of the open postings - and top management positions for people with over 15 years of experience - comprising 20% of the open job market demand.

Mid level and senior level role demand Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services, says mid-career positions typically require 5-8 years of relevant experience in the industry, whereas senior-level positions typically require 10-plus years of experience, specifically in leadership roles. Senior-level positions demand extensive experience in leadership with the ability to make strategic decisions, and drive change for organisational success.

With a nearly 45% increase in budget allocation this year, infrastructural developments and strategic alliances, the landscape seems promising. While there are opportunities and talent available, the inevitable role of upskilling comes into play to equip the workforce with the latest trends and upcoming developments with the long-term vision to sustain the growth momentum of the industry at the macro level. Viewing this situation from the organisational perspective, upskilling programmes will lead to improved customer service and an increase in customer retention.

 

"We believe it is the responsibility of the organisations to provide an academy or relevant resources to groom their employees.

It's more of an investment to help us build a team with diverse skill sets," Pittie says.

 

 

Read more at:

https://m.economictimes.com/jobs/mid-career/hiring-surge-in-travel-and-tourism-what-it-means-for-mid-career-and-senior-roles/articleshow/110325531.cms