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Hotel Melia Em Bilbau
The goal is to attract more seasonal workers, at a time when salaries in the hotel sector do not accompany income inflation.
The largest Spanish hotel chain, Meliá Hotels, began buying properties to housing seasonal workers who fight to pay rents at the country’s sights, since the worsening of the housing crisis threatens to create Shortwork of labor in the hotel industry.
Meliá CEO, Gabriel Escarrer, revealed that the company Already acquired an old hostel in Menorca and is trying to expand similar initiatives in Ibiza, Majorca, Canary Islands and Continental Spain. The initiative emerges in response to the rise of income, driven by the increase in short holidays on platforms such as Airbnb.
Spain received a record of 94 million tourists By 2023, with 30% opting for short -term rental properties instead of traditional hotels. This trend, combined with a decline in the construction of new houses since the 2012 financial crisis, significantly reduced affordable housing options for residents and local workers.
“The boom of short rentals has made an apartment for an odyssey apartment,” Escarrer said. “Paying well to employees is no longer enough – we have to Ensure that there is accommodation available for our workforce. ”
Over the past two years, Meliá has been forced to temporarily accommodate some employees in hotel rooms to prevent the lack of staff. However, industry experts warn that not all hotel chains can provide accommodation. Ramón Estalella, general director of the Spanish hotel group Cehat, noted that although this initiative works for a company like Melia, It is not a viable solution or widespread.
The salaries of workers in the hotel sector increased only 3% In 2023, while rent prices rose 11.5% in 2024, according to the idealistic real estate sector website. In the Balear Islands, some residents were forced to live in caravans due to the increase in housing costs.
Union leaders argue that hotel profit margins are growing, but salaries are not following inflation. In the Canary Islands, the CCOO Union summoned a two -day strike during Easter to demand better wages and working conditions, refers to.
In response to the increase in income and the frustration of the public with mass tourism, the municipalities of the main tourist destinations began to restrict authorizations for short leases. Cities like Barcelona and the Balear Islands have also introduced higher tourist rates to solve the problem.
