Hospitality, tourism witness 41% decline in hiring in 2020: Report

MUMBAI: The hospitality and tourism sector witnessed a 41 per cent year-on-year decline in hiring in 2020 due to the COVID-19 related disruptions, according to a report.

The year 2020 was different and difficult in equal measure impacted both individuals and industries. While some adapted more easily to the new normal of working remotely, several like the contact-sensitive hospitality and tourism sector witnessed a sharp decline of 41 per cent in business and, therefore, employment, job site Indeed said in the report.

Job seekers' appetite for tourism jobs also plummeted as job searches on Indeed were down 31 per cent in 2020 compared to the previous year.

The report is based on data of job listings and searches on Indeed platform during 2020 and 2019.

According to the data, the demand (job searches) for tourism jobs outstrip supply (job postings), and the segment witnessed some form of parity in May 2020.

Af ter the lockdown was lif ted and despite safety measures in place, hiring in the hospitality and tourism sector slowed down by half (51 per cent) in December 2020 as compared to the same month previous year.

The report further stated that of all the hiring in 2020, metro cities -- New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai -accounted for nearly half of the job postings on Indeed.

Maximum aspirants for these jobs, however, emerged from Jalandhar, Chandigarh, New Delhi and Lucknow in 2020.

"Though job postings and searches have seen a dip from pandemic-induced restrictions on mobility, while fear of the virus kept consumers away from traditional vacation spots, there is hope in a new year and a new season of travel.