ATHENS – A run of record tourism seasons in Greece has brought a bonanza for workers in the sector too, with the number of those employed in that field now comprising 10.6 percent of all jobs in the country.
That was the number for the third quarter of 2018 and was the highest since 2009, according to a study by the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) said Kathimerini about the boost, although figures for this year are uncertain.
The study, which followed the trend in the sectors of accommodation and catering from 2009 to 2018, comparing it with others, showed how critical tourism is for the country, as much as 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product of 181.42 billion euros ($200.3 billion.)
The study found that tourism employment in the quarter last year surveyed hit 411,100 higher than the previous record registered in 2017 of 398,700.
INSETE attributed the rise to the recovery of tourism since 2014 that overcame the losses sustained in 2009-13 during the beginning of the country’s economic crisis that is only now beginning to come back.
Employment in the accommodation and food sectors increased by an average annual rate of 1.3 percent from 2009 to 2018, while it spiked from 2014 onwards. Employment in these sectors rose 12.7 percent between 2009-18.
There was an increase in part-time employment since 2013 as a result of structural changes in the labor market, which was not at the expense of full-time employment with part-time employment, both in accommodation and catering (16.3 percent) and in other sectors (8.5 percent) about half compared to European Union levels.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
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