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The travel and hospitality sector is witnessing robust growth, with 66 per cent of surveyed companies planning to expand their workforce, according to the latest Employment Outlook Report by TeamLease Services.
The report, which analyzes hiring trends for HY2 (October-March) of FY2024-25, projects a Net Employment Change (NEC) of 8.2 per cent during this period, underscoring the sector's significant momentum in job creation. The travel and hospitality sector's growth is being fueled by the adoption of smart tourism technologies, a revival of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) activities, and a heightened focus on sustainable tourism practices. These factors are reshaping the industry landscape, creating new employment opportunities, and driving demand for skilled professionals in areas such as sustainability coordination, smart travel experience design, and contactless technology deployment. This growth reflects the broader economic significance of India's travel and tourism industry, which contributed 9 per cent to the country's GDP in 2024, amounting to over USD 11 trillion, an impressive 12 per cent increase compared to the previous year. Domestic travel is also on the rise, with a notable surge in religious tourism and visits to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Government initiatives such as the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, aimed at theme-based tourist circuit development, the PRASHAD Scheme, focused on pilgrimage tourism, and significant investments in airport infrastructure and regional connectivity, are further catalyzing the sector's expansion. Indian travellers, though not yet the most travelled demographic globally, are emerging as significant contributors to the revival of international tourism. This trend has spurred demand for innovative and personalized travel services. To address this, companies are prioritizing recruitment in roles that align with the industry's transition toward eco-friendly and digitally advanced travel experiences, ensuring they meet the evolving expectations of modern travellers. The report highlights notable hiring intent by the survey respondents across India, with tier-1 cities like Mumbai (58 per cent), Hyderabad (54 per cent), and Ahmedabad (49 per cent) leading the demand for talent. Simultaneously, tier-2 and tier-3 cities, including Coimbatore, Visakhapatnam and Jaipur, are emerging as employment hubs. Meanwhile, new locations such as Pune(18 per cent), Visakhapatnam(15 per cent), and Kochi(13 per cent) are also gaining traction as significant centres of opportunity. This dual momentum across metros and smaller cities reflects the industry's commitment to decentralising opportunities and addressing local talent pools. The growing demand for skilled professionals is reshaping the job market. Sales roles lead hiring intentions, with 76 per cent of companies seeking sales talent, followed by marketing (46 per cent), office service roles (35 per cent), and Information & Communication Technology (18 per cent) positions. Engineering and blue-collar jobs are also seeing significant demand, reflecting the operational and technical advancements shaping the sector's future. Balasubramanian A, Senior VP and Business Head, TeamLease Services, said, "The positive hiring intent by 66 per cent of the companies we're seeing in the travel and hospitality sector tells a compelling story about how the industry is evolving." He added, "Businesses are gearing up to meet the demands of today's eco-conscious and experience-driven travellers. Our report highlights how tier-2 and tier-3 cities in the country are stepping up as major employment hubs, alongside the usual metros, creating opportunities for talent in new regions." (ANI)
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