Türkiye's Hospitality Sector Hits Record Employment High, Surpassing 1.3 Million Workers in May 2024

 In May 2024, Türkiye's hospitality sector achieved unprecedented employment figures, exceeding 1.3 million workers, according to the latest data from the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜİK). This marks an impressive 8.7% increase of 105,106 employees compared to the same period last year. 

In May, the accommodation and food services sector in Türkiye saw a record-high employment figure, surpassing 1.3 million workers. According to data from the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜİK), employment in this sector grew by 8.7 percent or 105,106 individuals compared to May of the previous year.

At the close of 2023, companies within the accommodation and food industry employed just over 1 million people. Although there was a slight decline in January 2024, employment numbers rebounded in subsequent months, reaching 1.1 million in March and 1.22 million in April.

The upswing in employment within this sector correlates closely with developments in the tourism industry, as highlighted by İsmet Demirkol, founder of consulting firm Pariterium, in an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency. Demirkol anticipates that employment in accommodation and food services will likely continue to rise in the coming months.

Across all sectors including industry, construction, trade, and services, Türkiye registered a total of 15.67 million paid employees as of May, according to TÜİK. This marked an increase of 4.3 percent or 639,000 people compared to May 2023.

Specifically, employment in industry grew marginally by 0.6 percent year-on-year to approximately 5.1 million workers, while the construction sector saw a notable 11.1 percent surge, bringing its workforce to 1.82 million. Trade and services combined added 426,000 jobs, a 5.1 percent increase, with paid employees totaling 8.77 million.

Overall, Türkiye's total paid employment increased by 0.7 percent in May compared to the previous month, according to TÜİK data.