Spain’s tourism employment hit a historic high in 2024 as the sector continues to surge in popularity among both international and local travelers.
The industry’s expansion is not only filling hotel rooms and restaurants but also significantly boosting employment numbers.
This year, the number of Social Security affiliates working in tourism reached almost 2.905 million in July, a 3.5% increase from the same month last year, and an impressive 11% rise compared to the pre-pandemic summer of 2019.
While Spain’s tourism industry propels the country’s economy and job market, it remains one of the key pillars of economic growth. In July, nearly 13.7% of all contributors to the Social Security system were employed in tourism-related jobs, highlighting the sector’s vital role.
Remarkably, the tourism industry has achieved three consecutive months of record-breaking employment figures, outpacing previous highs seen in the summer of 2023.
However, the overall employment figures for July showed a slight decline, with about 9,800 fewer contributors compared to the previous month. This minor drop hasn’t hindered the robust growth in tourism, which continues to create jobs at an extraordinary pace.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, the job boom is partly fueled by the growing number of foreign tourists and investments in high-value services and experiences that require a higher level of staffing.
Exceltur, the influential lobby group representing leading companies in Spain’s tourism sector such as Meliá, NH, Iberia, Globalia, Riu, and Amadeus, attributes the employment surge to several factors.
They note the “need to provide services to a greater number of tourists, derived from the growth of demand, especially foreign,” and “investment in new products with greater added value, with greater requirements for more and better personnel.” Positive demand expectations for the summer months have also encouraged companies to accelerate hiring in advance of the high season.
The first month of summer alone saw an impressive surge in employment across various sectors of tourism. The hotel and catering industries recorded an increase of 52,383 employees, with accommodation services adding 19,288 workers and food and beverage services growing by 33,095. Meanwhile, travel agencies saw a rise of 3,971 workers, and other tourism-related activities experienced a combined increase of 40,928 employees.
While direct employment in the sector, representing 82.5% of the workforce, saw a 4% growth in July compared to the previous year, self-employment in tourism also grew by 1%, accounting for 17.5% of the sector’s total workers.
In August, historically a month of slight decline in tourism jobs compared to July, the industry is poised to maintain its momentum and continue setting new benchmarks for growth.
