With the accelerated growth of tourism in various parts of Europe, new challenges arise to guarantee quality services. The lack of workers in Cyprus led to the adoption of an unusual solution: retirees between the ages of 55 and 65 were invited to return to the job market to fill vacancies in hotels and other tourist facilities on the island. The measure came at a time when the number of visitors increases every year, according to the newspaper.
The shortage of professionals available to work in the hotel industry has become more visible in several units in Cyprus. It is estimated that around 50,000 people are currently directly employed in this sector. Still, this number has proven to be insufficient to meet all needs.
The president of the Pasyxe hotel association, Thanos Michaelides, addressed this topic at a recent meeting. The lack of qualified labor has been identified as one of the sector’s main concerns at the moment.
To address this need, the Pasyxe association presented a proposal that aims to reintegrate retirees between 55 and 65 years old into the sector. This initiative seeks to value the knowledge and professional experience accumulated over the years.
Positions aimed at retirees are mainly concentrated in reception functions and administrative work. According to the same source, these functions are compatible with the profile of those who have already held positions in similar contexts.
According to Thanos Michaelides, “this is a practical way of returning quality to the sector and providing a second career for qualified professionals”.
International example
The proposal follows the example of a similar measure applied in Norway during a period of strong tourism growth. The Norwegian experience served as the basis for the strategy now outlined in Cyprus. The objective is to reinforce the available workforce without compromising the quality standards required by the tourist activity. At the same time, a new opportunity is offered to retirees who wish to remain active.
New proposals for accommodation
Another initiative presented by Pasyxe involves the construction of new accommodation for workers in the sector. The proposal will be submitted to the Cyprus Ministry of the Interior, to obtain the respective construction licenses, as indicated by the cited source.
The creation of housing dedicated to professionals aims to facilitate the recruitment of staff from other regions, avoiding long journeys and promoting greater stability. According to the same source, this measure is intended to attract more workers and guarantee greater permanence in their roles.
Positive impact on the hotel sector
By strengthening the conditions offered to professionals, a positive impact on the performance of hotel units is expected. More stable and experienced teams will be able to ensure a more efficient and satisfactory service for those visiting the country.
Valuing workers and improving services are considered essential pillars for the sustainable development of the tourism sector in Cyprus, according to the Daily Express newspaper.
Also know that, according to Eurostat data, Cyprus is one of the European Union countries with the highest number of nights spent by tourists per inhabitant, which helps to explain the growing impact of tourism on the daily lives of the local population.
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