Tourism-related employment exceeds 3 million registered workers in September, up 4.7% from a year ago

In September, the number of people employed in the tourism sector rose by 136,415 in absolute terms, reaching a total figure of just over 3 million workers, according to figures published today by Turespaña. This represents a 4.7% increase compared with the same month last year. In relation to the labour market for the country as a whole, which grew by 3.4% year-on-year in that month, employment in the tourism sector accounts for 13.7% of the total number of registered workers.

The number of registered workers increased in the hospitality sector, with a rise of 88,413 (23,922 in accommodation services and 64,491 in food and beverage services). Conversely, the number of registered workers in travel agencies fell by 1,351.

It should be noted, as in previous months, that the figure for travel agencies does not reflect an actual decline, as it is influenced by changes made to the CNAE classification system, which have reclassified certain activities - previously categorised under 'travel agencies' - into other categories

The number of employees is rising significantly

In the ninth month of the year, the number of employees in the tourism sector (who account for 83.2% of the total) rose by 5.2% compared with the same month of the previous year. By sector, salaried employment fell in travel agencies and tour operators (down by 1.2%) and rose in the hospitality sector (5.2%), with the same increase seen in accommodation services and in food and beverage services.

Meanwhile, self-employment in tourism, which accounts for 16.8% of all registered workers, rose by 1.9%. In the hospitality sector, there was a 1.3% rise, mainly due to the increase in accommodation services (16.9%). In the travel agency sector, there was a year-on-year fall of 3.5% in the number of self-employed workers, a decline also influenced by the change in the CNAE classifications.

Valencia, the fastest-growing region

In September, employment across the hospitality, travel agency and tour operator sectors increased in every Autonomous Community.

In absolute terms, the largest increase was in Catalonia (with 16,475 more registered workers). In relative terms, the largest increase was in the Valencian Community (6%), followed by Castile-La Mancha (up 5.5%) and Catalonia (up 5.2%).

Non official translation