Travel & Leisure Sector

The UK’s vibrant travel and leisure sector, encompassing hospitality, tourism, and entertainment, is a vital engine for the economy, contributing over £100 billion annually and employing millions. Yet, talent and recruitment challenges are stalling potential. 

Navigating a restrictive and complex system to recruit and retain talent hampers not only individual businesses but the entire industry’s potential.

Across the sector, vacancies exceed 400,000 in various roles, from chefs and waiters to tour guides and hotel staff. This shortage manifests in longer wait times, reduced services, and even closures, dampening the visitor experience and hindering economic growth.

The travel and leisure sector thrives on diversity and a global outlook. International workers bring invaluable skills, languages, and cultural understanding, enriching the visitor experience and boosting the industry’s competitiveness. 

This reliance stems from several factors. The sector often experiences high staff turnover, requiring a readily available pool of talent to fill vacancies. Certain roles, like multilingual tour guides or niche chefs, demand expertise not readily available in the domestic workforce, and the sector’s seasonal nature necessitates a flexible workforce, readily adapted to peak periods and quieter times.

UK immigration changes have, however, created hurdles for travel and leisure employers. The points-based system for work visas makes recruiting foreign workers expensive and burdensome, especially for lower-skilled positions.

The SOL, which lists professions facing skills shortages, doesn’t adequately reflect the sector’s needs. Many critical roles are excluded, limiting the talent pool. And post-Brexit uncertainty has seen EU nationals, previously a significant part of the workforce, face visa uncertainties, discouraging long-term commitments and creating staffing instability.

These immigration challenges contribute to the travel and leisure sector’s talent gap. Unfilled positions and overworked staff compromise the service quality and visitor experience, potentially damaging the UK’s tourism reputation. The sector’s post-pandemic recovery is hampered by the workforce shortage, limiting growth and innovation. And the perception of being closed to international talent can deter skilled workers and discourage investment in the UK travel and leisure industry.

A thriving travel and leisure sector relies not only on scenic landscapes and cultural attractions but also on a diverse and accessible workforce, which can be underpinned by a sensible and responsive immigration system.