- By Kostis Chalkiadakis
The risk of a serious shortage of human resources in Greek tourism by 2035, which according to a report in Kathimerini (Sunday, October 5, 2025) will reach 290,000 jobs, was commented on by three experienced representatives of the sector, presenting their proposals and concerns.
In detail:
Andreas Andreadis: “The time has come for brave decisions”
In his intervention, the CEO of the Sani/Ikos Group and former president of SETE, Andreas Andreadis, recalled that he had warned about the problem since the beginning of 2022, emphasizing that few steps have been taken since then. As he notes, neither the reversal of demographics nor the substitution of hospitality by robots are realistic prospects, while the need to upgrade quality remains critical.
“It is time for the state to ignore the political cost and proceed with serious moves,” he emphasized, citing as an example countries such as Spain and Portugal that reached agreements with Central and South American states.
In this regard, the former president of POX and current president of the Hoteliers’ Association of Halkidiki, Grigoris Tasios, in a comment to Tornos News, emphasizes that introducing workers to Greece in a legal and rational manner is a way out of the acute problem of hotel businesses, also agreeing with the post of the former president of SETE Andreas Andreadis
Katerina Santikou: “The issue is not how many are missing, but who and why”
For her part, Katerina Santikou, Hospitality HR & Business Development Leader, emphasized in a post that the staff shortage is not temporary but is linked to two deeper causes: demographics and intense seasonality.
As she argues, immigration can temporarily fill the gap, but not without an integration strategy, upgrading working conditions and redesigning seasonality. “Human capital is the real infrastructure of tourism, more critical even than material investments. If we do not invest in it systematically, the country risks losing its most important asset: hospitality as a culture,” he noted.
George Pelekanakis: A set of proposals for the future
In turn, the president of the Panhellenic Federation of Hotel Managers, George Pelekanakis, called for the adoption of immediate and coordinated measures, submitting specific proposals:
- investment in education and continuous training,
- incentives for the integration of young people, women, older people and people with disabilities,
- a repatriation plan for Greek professionals and organized attraction of workers from third countries,
- upgrading salaries and working conditions,
- exploitation of technology and automation,
- campaigns to promote the tourism profession so that it becomes more attractive to new generations.
