French Hotel Industry ‘On Its Knees’ Due to Worker Shortage

Due to a Workforce Shortfall, The French Hotel Industry is ‘on its knees’

Sebastien Bazin, CEO of the world’s sixth-largest hotel business, stated on French radio station RMC that Accor presently employs at least 2000 people in France as the tourist industry recovers and international visitors return, but remains much below pre-pandemic levels.

Many employees had not returned “Because they thought about things during the lockdown, because they relocated, changed professions, and were no longer ready to bear the sacrifice of working hours”, he claimed.

Many nation’s hospitality industries have complained about problems rehiring personnel, and some businesses are attempting to entice workers with greater compensation.

But, according to Bazin, it was just half of the problem. “Will it be enough if I have to pay more? No is it something I’m capable of? No That is the issue.” Bazin encouraged the government to reduce social levies for new workers to enable the industry to return to full operation.

 “The whole hotel sector is on its knees,” he added, stressing that to survive, hotels must be able to welcome returning visitors.

Bazin also stated that the sector must consider how it might adjust to make its professions more appealing, particularly in terms of inconvenient working hours, adding that despite complete training programmes, it has difficult hiring.

Accor includes luxury brands such as Raffles and Sofitel, as well as premium Pullman and cheap ibis and F1 hotels. It employs 260,000 workers in 5,200 hotels in 110 countries.