The hospitality industry expects staff shortages to continue in the coming years

Personnel shortages in the Dutch hospitality industry are expected to continue in the coming years; Royal Horeca Netherlands (KHN) predicted this. According to the trade association, this is mainly due to an aging population and fewer young people being available for work in restaurants, cafes, and hotels.

For example, KHN has noticed that the number of young people following vocational training for a catering job has declined for years. While more than 35,000 students were still enrolled in a course in the 2017-2018 school year, in the 2021-2022 school year, this had decreased by 17 percent to more than 29,000, according to the trade association. Combined with the aging population, this affects the recruitment of new people.

The number of workers in the sector rose to more than 508,000 in 2022, above the level before the coronavirus crisis. This is stated in a recent labor market report that ABF Research prepared on behalf of KHN and the Horeca Professional Skills Foundation (SVH). The number of workers in the catering industry stabilized in the first half of last year.

But despite this, the demand for personnel remains high, says KHN. The industry club, therefore, wants companies to invest in their staff. KHN wants to support entrepreneurs in this but also ensure good employment conditions. "In this way, we offer employees growth prospects within the sector while entrepreneurs retain the space to do business," the organization says.

Entrepreneurs have had a tough time in the hospitality industry in the last few years, mainly due to the coronavirus crisis. The turnover in the sector is now above the pre-pandemic level of 31 billion euros in 2023. However, margins have become smaller due to increased energy, personnel, purchasing, and housing costs. "For the first time since 2015, we are also seeing a decrease in the number of catering locations," says KHN, which does not expect the situation to improve in 2024.