Gezi remains firmly in revival after the pandemic’s impact, with the sector watching closely to see if late-year economic jitters will dampen the rebound. Yet travel demand is picking up, and the recovery in tourism directly influences jobs and livelihoods across communities.
The industry has posted four consecutive months of activity above pre-COVID levels, gaining momentum in July and signaling a robust pace of new job creation during the peak summer season. Spain’s tourism workforce reached an all-time high, with numbers reported by El Periódico de España showing the sector surpassing the previous record of 2.626 million workers set in August 2019.
Across tourism-related activities, Social Security records show 2.702 million workers, marking the best single month in the sector’s history. Tourism’s continued strength contributed to an overall positive economic picture, with 83,000 new Social Security members in July as part of broader gains, even as July also saw a year-over-year shift in employment dynamics with temporary adjustments.
According to data from the Ministry of Social Security and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, the sector added 143,524 new jobs in July, a 5.6% rise from July 2021. The broader economy also benefited from tourism’s job-creating momentum, although the month still registered some fluctuations in affiliate counts across sub-sectors.
Hotel overnights near pre-COVID levels, with more than 42 million nights in July
The industry continues to capitalize on a renewed appetite for travel among both domestic residents and international visitors. High consumer confidence, coupled with government measures such as fuel discounts and electricity VAT reductions, helped ease household budgets and sustain travel decisions.
Despite a positive overall trend, employment in tourist activities not uniformly rising across all subsectors. The hotel sector alone added 198,931 affiliates, with 122,530 in food and beverage services and 76,401 in hospitality services. Travel agencies added 5,203 workers, while other tourism activities saw a net decline of 60,610 affiliates.
stable employment
Strong employment data positions tourism as a major contributor to job creation and economic recovery, with improvements in job quality tied to recent labor reforms. Analysts note that the sector is transitioning toward greater stability as reforms reshape hiring patterns.
Industry groups and large tourism players emphasize reduced reliance on temporary contracts. The Exceltur coalition, which includes major names such as Meliá, NH, Iberia, Globalia, Riu, and Amadeus, points out that the share of temporary contracts in tourism has declined since before the pandemic. The last quarterly report shows a notable shift: in April and May 2019, temporary contracts dominated, but this year the rate has fallen to around 46%, signaling more permanent positions in the sector.