The perception of job-related motivators when choosing a career in the tourism and hospitality industry: Comparative study between Polish and Spanish students

The recent rapid growth of the tourism and hospitality industries raises a question about the quantity and quality of the workforce needed in these sectors. In the tourism/hospitality industry, where most services are delivered directly by employees, competitive advantage is primarily attained through people (employees), who are perceived as an integral component of tourism experience. This creates challenges for an industry suffering from high rates of staff turnover, especially of young employees who leave their jobs after graduation, choosing other career paths. This study presents the job related motivators that students found important when considering their future careers, and investigates the extent to which those motivators can be found in the tourism and hospitality industry. Is the industry able to offer the motivators that will keep the employees willing to choose this particular path? We focus on two groups of potential employees - Polish and Spanish students. The study reveals that both groups generally do not believe that a career in the TH industry offered these motivating factors. We also contrast and compare both groups' perceptions in this area.