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ZAGREB, June 19 — Tourists are flocking back to Croatia after the pandemic decimated its vital travel industry, except the Adriatic nation has a problem: it lacks workers to cater to the legions of VISITORS. ZAGREB, June 19 – Tourists flocked to Croatia after the pandemic destroyed Croatia's vital tourism industry, but the Adriatic nation has a problem: it lacks workers to cater to large numbers of tourists.
Faced with a chronic shortage of tourism workers, Croatia is recruiting people in neighbouring Balkan countries and as far as Asia to fill the gap.
It is a problem that other top tourist destinations in Europe — France, Spain and Greece — have also experienced since the lifting of the lifting of Covid restrictions. This problem was also encountered.
But it is an issue that Croatia — famous for its idyllic coast line dotted with more than 1,000 islands and islets — already struggled with for years and has worsened since the pandemic. Known for its idyllic coastline, dotted with more than 1,000 islands and islets – it's been grappling with it for years and worsening since the pandemic.
The tourism industry could be short of 10,000 workers this year, according to official estimates.
“The situation is alarming,” said Stanislav Briskoski, owner of a restaurant in the tourist hotspot of Rovinj, in northern Istria peninsula, and head of Istria caterers and tourism workers guild.“ The situation is worrying," said Stanislav Briskoski, a restaurateur in Rovinj, a tourist hotspot in the northern istria and head of the Association of Istrian Catering Service Providers and Tourist Workers.
Croatia is primed for a tourism rebound: it has already hosted nearly three million visitors in the first five months of the year, nearly triple the number from last year, which bodes well for the peak Croatia is poised for a rebound in tourism: in the first five months of this year it has already welcomed nearly 3 million visitors, almost three times as many as last year, which bodes well for the summer peak season in July and August.
The country of 3.8 million people greeted a record 21 million visitors in 2019.
“The desire for travel is big ... tourists will come," said the head of the Croat tourism association, Veljko Ostojic, said. Tourists will come. ”
Tourism is a major source of revenue for Croatia, accounting for one-fifth of its economy.
Ostojic said the industry could break its 2019 record, unless the war in Ukraine escalates. Ostojic said the industry could break records in 2019 unless the war in Ukraine escalates.
But the sector needs workers.
But the industry needs workers.
Since Croatia joined the European Union in 2013, more than 250,000 Croats have left the country seeking a better life in Germany, Austria or Ireland. Travel to Germany, Austria or Ireland in search of a better life.
More recently, Covid lockdowns forced catering and tourism employees to look for jobs in other sectors, where they eventually stayed, having better wages and better working Recently, the COVID-19 lockdown forced food and beverage and tourism workers to look for work in other industries, where they ended up staying there for better wages and better working hours.
It was almost double compared with the same period in 2021 and some 100,000 permits are expected to be issued this year.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to work here, in Europe," James Pepito, a gardener at Mon Perin camping, near Rovinj, told AFP. ”
The 32-year-old Filipino, who worked in Oman and Qatar before arriving in Croatia two years ago, hopes to stay for another year.
“I have a good experience, that’s why I’m still here in Croatia,” he said, praising the wages, weather and good colleagues.
"I've had a great experience, that's why I'm still in Croatia," he said, praising the salary, the weather and good colleagues.
Pinoy 385, an employment agency for Filipinos, has found job for Pepito and some 1,700 other people, with another 500 expected to be hired by the end of the year to work as assistant cooks, maids, The Philippine employment agency Pinoy 385 has already found employment for Pepito and about 1,700 other people, and expects to employ an additional 500 as assistant chefs, maids, waiters and bakers by the end of the year.
“We should realise that the worker shortage is not a current but rather a longterm issue and plan employment accordingly,” the agency’s owner, Stjepan Jagodin, said.“ We should be aware that the shortage of workers is not a current problem, but a long-term problem and plan for employment accordingly," said Stjepan Jagodin, the agency's owner.
David Trajanovic, a 21-year-old Serbian waiter at a restaurant in the picturesque town of Bale, near Rovinj, listed the reasons for working in Croatia: “A better salary than back home, some good fun , summer, seaside.” David Trajanovic, a 21-year-old Serbian waiter who works at a restaurant in the picturesque town of Bell near Rovinj, cites the reasons for working in Croatia: "The salary is higher than home, it's fun here, there are summers, there are beaches.
The Great Resignation wave of resignations
While foreign workers are filling some jobs, tourism industry insiders say efforts should be made to woo Croats, too.
Briskoski, the restaurant owner in Rovinj, said the government should promote vocational schools, which have fewer students than in the past, to train young people into skilled jobs such as chefs. Robiny's restaurateur Briscowski said the government should push vocational schools with fewer students than in the past to train young people for technical jobs such as cooking.
Croatia, like other countries, has also experienced the "Great Resignation" phenomenon, in which employees have reconsidered their jobs during the pandemic. Employees have rethinked their jobs during the pandemic.
Natasa Kacar, who runs an agency for jobs in tourism, said younger people have a different mindset.
“If their conditions and goals are not met, people quickly change jobs and this happens in tourism too,” Kacar said.“ If their conditions and goals are not met, people will quickly change jobs, which also happens in tourism," Kakar said.
But Kacar said employers should also adapt to the situation by providing better work conditions.
"Whoever gives a decent salary and good conditions has no problems" in finding a worker, she stressed.
Marin Medak, who employs 60 people including nine Filipinos at his two restaurants in Zagreb, believes that overall working conditions are far more important than finances. Marin Medak, who employs 60 people at his two restaurants in Zagreb, including nine Filipinos, believes that overall working conditions are far more important than finances.
“Catering workers expect normal working conditions—not too much overtime, normal shifts, not too exhausting work, decent salary,” said Medak, the former head of the national caterers’ association. — ETX Studio "Restaurant workers expect normal working conditions — no too much overtime, normal shifts, no too tiring work, good pay," said Medak, former president of the National Restaurant Association. — ETX Studios
来源：Lacking tourism workers, Croatia recruits abroad | Malay Mail