“In 2021, there were no fewer than 41,388 jobs in tourism, a slight increase compared to the pre-corona year 2019. The majority of these are in the catering industry and food and beverage providers (54%),” it said.
However, the figures also show a challenge, namely the scarcity on the tourist labor market. “The recovery of the sector after the pandemic has led to a high demand for workers, especially on the coasts. Vacancies are difficult to fill.”
The governor also points to the training courses for this. The Horeca course is offered at three locations in West Flanders and the Restaurant and Kitchen direction is offered at nine locations, together accounting for 1,149 students. “This is not enough to meet the needs. Moreover, there is a lack of master’s programs in Tourism, because those students have to go to Leuven or abroad.”