Greece’s Tourism, Hotels & Food Service sector is set to record the strongest quarter-to-quarter improvement in hiring intentions for early 2026, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey. The study, which gathered responses from 520 Greek employers, projects a 35% hiring outlook for the sector, a 41-point jump from the last quarter of 2025.
The findings come at a time when the Ministry of Tourism is advancing its controversial plan to reduce the study duration of ASTER and ASTEK tourism schools from four years to three — a proposal that has already triggered widespread reactions in Crete and elsewhere. Industry professionals warn that shortening the curriculum risks diluting training quality at a time when skilled labor is more crucial than ever.
Overall Trends
Across all sectors, hiring expectations for Q1 2026 show:
- 31% of employers plan to increase staff
- 14% expect reductions
- 52% foresee stable staffing levels
- 3% remain uncertain
Internationally, Greece ranks in the lower half of the global ranking, trailing the worldwide average by 5 points.
Sectoral Highlights
- Technology, Media & Telecommunications (43%) — Strongest hiring prospects, up 16 points from the previous quarter.
- Tourism, Hotels & Food Service (35%) — Largest quarterly surge, up 41 points.
- Industry (34%) — Rising steadily with a 16-point increase.
More conservative expectations appear in:
- Trade & Logistics (17%)
- Finance & Insurance (11%)
- Construction & Real Estate (9%)
- Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9%)
- Public Sector, Health & Social Services (5%)
- Utilities & Natural Resources (4%)
A separate category, Information Technology (36%), is now tracked independently due to overlapping sub-sectors across Technology, Industry, Media, and Professional Services.
Drivers of Staffing Increases
- Company growth: 34%
- Expansion into new activities/roles: 27%
- Filling positions left vacant earlier: 23%
Reasons for Reductions
- Economic challenges: 30%
- Increased turnover without immediate replacement: 24%
- Automation reducing role needs: 23%
Regional Employment Outlook
- Attica (21%) — Remains the strongest region, stable quarter-to-quarter and up 6 points annually.
- Rest of Greece (18%) — Largest quarterly improvement, rising 8 points.
- Northern Greece (12%) — Continues with positive but moderate expectations.
Hiring by Company Size
- 50–249 employees (33%) — Strongest intentions, up 8 points.
- 10–49 employees (14%) — Shows the biggest quarterly improvement (+11).
All organizational size categories report positive year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter trends.
Statement from ManpowerGroup Greece
CEO Charalampos Kazantzidis notes that Greece’s labor market “continues on a steadily positive trajectory,” with Technology, Media & Telecommunications — and Tourism in particular — driving the strongest gains. He highlights that resilient consumption, increased investment, and strengthening manufacturing activity underpin these results. Demand for specialized skills remains high, making talent attraction and development a key competitive factor for Greek businesses.
Global Context
The global Employment Outlook for Q1 2026 stands at 24%, slightly higher than the previous quarter but lower compared to last year.
- Strongest sectors worldwide: Finance & Insurance (32%), Technology/Media/Telecom (29%), Construction & Real Estate (27%).
- More cautious sectors: Public Administration, Health & Social Services (20%), Utilities/Natural Resources (22%), Trade & Logistics (23%).
- Mid-sized companies internationally (250–999 employees) show the highest hiring intentions (28%).
- Brazil (54%) leads globally, while Europe & the Middle East post lower expectations (20%).
- The weakest hiring outlooks are recorded in the UK (13%), Romania (0%), and Slovakia (-3%).
