- Staff shortages in Crete hotels are now so dire that even the cleaning service is barely hanging on.
- The 2025 tourist season in Crete started strong, but bookings and staffing both began to tank by midsummer.
- Imported workers fill some gaps, but most leave quickly or struggle to adapt to the job.
- Experienced hotel employees are quitting, while retired staff come back to keep the doors open.
- Only six months of work each year turns away locals and discourages the new generation from joining.
- Big hotel chains are moving in, but they have no clue what will work for them.
- A drop in tourists from Israel, combined with the sluggish European economy, dragged down hotel profits.
How Did We Get Here? The Mess at Crete Hotels
Imagine a bustling hotel in Crete during high season. Now picture it with half its crew missing and the rest juggling more roles than they signed up for. That’s the reality in 2025. Hotel managers sound like broken alarms:
“We’ve got a problem with staff in Crete. We’ve been sounding the alarm for a long time,” says Giorgos Sfakianakis, president of the island’s hotel managers.
The season started with a burst of optimism, and then, oh look, everything slowed down. As the pace dropped, the value of skilled staff became painfully apparent. You can’t run a good hotel with a revolving door of new hires and retired fill-ins.
Problems at a Glance:
- Severe shortage of trained hotel staff
- Reliance on temporary foreign workers (most quit or struggle)
- The high number of experienced workers leaving for good
- Heavy use of retirees, but that’s only a patch, not a fix
- Lack of young people staying and moving up in hotels
- Seasonal jobs make steady employment nearly impossible
- Economic and geopolitical drama lower guest numbers
Hiring From Abroad: Real Solution or Last-Ditch Effort?
It’s true; some roles in Crete hotels are now filled by foreign workers: housekeeping, service, and basic grunt work. “A good number of them can’t cope or give up early,” Sfakianakis admits. Do these quick fixes solve anything? Not really. “The picture is complex, and there’s no easy fix,” he says. These patches won’t hold up much longer.
And I don’t think the next generation is eager to jump in. “We’re missing the young people who will come, stay, progress, and lead in the hotel field,” he points out. The trained staff pipeline is bone dry. Most prefer jobs offering a real future, not just six months of uncertainty and patchy pay.
Meanwhile, old-timers who kept the industry afloat for decades are calling it quits. Some retired folks return to fill gaps, but that’s not a plan, just desperation.
Seasonal Work: The Perk No One Wants
One big problem is obvious: work in Crete hotels only lasts half the year. That turns away anyone who wants job security. “Six months on the job makes a lot of people say nope,” Sfakianakis says. Handouts like unemployment benefits help plug some holes, but they’re band-aids, not real solutions. Businesses have to step up with better pay and working conditions. And politicians? They should invest in training and income boosts for the people who keep the tourism industry running.
Of course, international headaches also creep in. War, inflation, sluggish economies – all take a toll. The usual wave of visitors from Israel has crashed down to a trickle because of ongoing conflict.
The Big Question: Who Will Work Here Next Year?
Here comes the punchline: Big hotel chains have their eyes set on Crete, but there’s nobody to staff them. As Sfakianakis bluntly puts it, “Who’s going to run these new hotels?” The answer might be no one. “We’re missing the professionals who can run teams, bring stability, and deliver quality service. This needs a serious and coordinated fix.”
Tourism remains the driving force behind Crete’s economy. But if hotels can’t hire, they can’t serve. Without investment in people, things could deteriorate rapidly.
In Short:
- Staff shortages hit every part of the hotel business.
- Foreign hires and retirees keep things moving, but the solutions often fail to stick.
- Young people are staying away from hotel careers.
- A shaky economy and fewer tourists sting the bottom line.
So, if you’re a guest, don’t expect the sheets to be perfect or the service to sparkle this year. And if you’re a local or business owner, brace yourself. That staff shortage isn’t going anywhere unless everyone stops patching holes and starts fixing the problem at its source.
