The hospitality industry relies on people. Yet across South Africa, hotels, restaurants, and food-and-beverage operators struggle to find skilled professionals. According to Dr Linda-Louise Nicholas, Head of the Tourism Department at Boston City Campus, the issue runs deeper than staff shortages alone.
Several long-standing challenges now converge, creating sustained pressure across the sector.
A tale of two regions
The skills gap does not affect every region equally. Major cities continue to attract talent. Rural and peri-urban areas face severe shortages, especially during seasonal peaks such as December.
Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg remain talent hubs. Smaller destinations struggle to staff operations when demand rises. This imbalance leaves many businesses exposed during peak travel periods.
One major contributor lies in entry pathways. Many young people enter hospitality through informal routes without accredited training. Enthusiasm exists, but foundational skills often do not. Employers then face higher training demands while service expectations remain high.
Structured programmes help close this gap. Industry-aligned qualifications equip learners with core operational skills before they enter the workplace.
Different sectors, different struggles
The shortage looks different across hospitality segments.
Hotels need digitally literate, guest-focused professionals. Restaurants struggle to recruit and retain skilled chefs, baristas, and service managers. Food and beverage operations battle to fill technical roles linked to stock control, hygiene compliance, and product knowledge.
The shared issue remains clear. Employers need multi-skilled staff. Many entry-level recruits arrive without formal preparation, placing strain on teams and managers.
When skills gaps reach the guest
Hospitality exposes skills shortages immediately. Guests notice slow check-ins, incorrect orders, and inconsistent service.
These issues affect reviews, repeat visits, and brand trust. Reputation drives occupancy and revenue. Poor service erodes both.
Pressure also builds behind the scenes. Senior staff carry heavier workloads due to supervision and corrective training. Burnout rises. Turnover follows. The cycle continues.
Well-trained teams perform better. Guest satisfaction improves. Spend per head increases. Skills investment links directly to commercial performance.
Graduates from structured training programmes enter roles with confidence and consistency. Operations stabilise faster. Managers regain focus.
Rethinking recruitment and training
Traditional hiring pipelines no longer deliver enough skilled staff. Operators now shift strategy.
Accredited, job-ready training gains traction. Employers move away from learn-as-you-go models. New hires arrive with baseline competence.
Internal development also grows. Microlearning, clear career pathways, and internal promotion support retention. Ambitious entry-level staff progress into supervisory roles through targeted upskilling.
Flexible staffing models now dominate. Permanent teams combine with seasonal and part-time staff. Strong onboarding protects service standards during demand spikes.
Technology supports this shift. Digital onboarding, skills tracking, and standardised training tools help scale learning when experienced trainers remain scarce.
Collaboration shapes the future
No single stakeholder solves the skills crisis alone. Industry, training providers, and government need to be aligned.
Curricula shaped by real operational needs produce job-ready graduates. Learnerships and SETA-funded initiatives expand access to accredited training, particularly in areas outside major cities.
Perception also matters. Hospitality needs to be positioned as a long-term profession, not a stopgap role. Internships, school engagement, and visible career success stories change that narrative.
Professionalisation depends on shared standards and clear progression. When alignment improves, retention strengthens, and service quality follows.
For an industry built on people, investment in skills forms the foundation of sustainable growth.
