Fewer tourists, hotel shutdowns for refurbishments, pay cuts and unpaid leaves have triggered an influx of job applications from the region even as industry executives maintain that the markets are likely to bounce back swiftly once conditions stabilise.
Radisson Hotel Group has observed a noticeable increase in applications from hospitality professionals currently working in West Asia, particularly from the UAE and Oman, who are seeking long-term career opportunities back home, managing director and COO (South Asia) Nikhil Sharma said.
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While India has always attracted returning talent, recent geopolitical uncertainties have accelerated enquiries from professionals looking for greater stability and sustained career growth, he said.
The increased interest spans core hotel operations including food and beverage, culinary, front office, housekeeping, finance and engineering, with a notable uptick in applications for senior hotel leadership positions.
Saurabh Tiwari, area director, Middle East and CIS at Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) said the trend should be viewed in the context of two strong hospitality markets that continue to attract talent. The drivers are both professional and personal, he said. “India’s expanding hospitality landscape is creating more senior leadership and specialist opportunities than ever before.”Within the Tata Group company’s recruitment pipeline, this movement is most noticeable among professionals with five to fifteen years of experience, particularly across operations, food and beverage, culinary, commercial, sales and marketing, revenue management and pre-opening roles, Tiwari said.
Human resources experts said recent regional volatilities amid escalated attacks by Iran and the US have created fresh uncertainties.
“The hospitality sector had started showing signs of recovery, but now there is renewed concern,” said Amruta Heblikar, founder of HR services firm Virtual Key. “Even if business improves, a meaningful recovery is unlikely before the end of September or October, depending on how the situation unfolds.”
There are fewer tourists, and conferences and events are not happening like before, so hotels are not operating at full occupancy, she said. Several hotels have also closed for renovations.
“Many companies are putting employees on unpaid leave for a few days every month or asking them to take salary cuts,” Heblikar said. “In food and beverage operations as well, several restaurants and cloud kitchens have reduced staff.”
Kanav Mata, director and regional head, India, South Asia and Middle East at EHL Hospitality Business School, said a senior professional in his network recently moved back to India from Dubai with the same brand and was presented with the opportunity to manage an extended portfolio. “Beyond the uncertainty, it’s the growth opportunity that also prompted the move,” he said.
Architects, designers and professionals from the real estate sector are also seeking opportunities in India, said Natwar Nagar, founder of The Job Plus.
“The India market is being perceived as safer and we have received a lot of queries from senior professionals who are looking to relocate,” he said. “However, markets like Dubai are resilient and will bounce back.”
Experts said workforce optimisation has been implemented across hotels of different sizes in the Middle East.
“Depending on a property’s business performance and occupancy levels, staff reductions have varied considerably, with some organisations making only minimal adjustments while others have undertaken more significant restructuring,” said Amrita Chakraverty, head of HR and administration at a UAE-based hospitality firm.
Sandeep Ganediwalla, managing partner at advisory firm Redseer Middle East, said India is offering better roles and more competitive salaries than before.
He, however, said the UAE continues to be “a very attractive market” for Indian professionals. “For now, this looks more like people keeping an India option open rather than making a permanent decision to leave. However, if uncertainty continues for longer, some temporary moves could become more permanent,” Ganediwalla added.