Recent Changes in Alanya: "Let It Breathe"

A meeting of the founders and leaders of HOTED – an association focused on education and improving conditions in the hospitality industry – took place in Alanya. The meeting was attended by HOTED's founder, honorary president and chief advisor Hakan Halit Yeni, HOTED's education committee president Sema Yörütyür, HOTED's supervisory board president Kerim Ozkan, and the chairman of the Giant tourism workers' union, Mustafa Yahyaoglu. They discussed issues related to worker difficulties and the long-standing shortage of skilled staff in the tourism industry.

A statement released after the meeting noted that qualification issues are becoming increasingly pressing, and now it's commonly accepted to say: "Let him breathe, give him a chance." Physical disabilities are considered irrelevant in hiring decisions. Despite the need to improve working conditions, some companies continue to seek cheap labor instead of creating conditions for decent and humane work. Some employers are even considering the use of illegal foreign labor, which exacerbates the labor market situation and negatively affects the country's image and its citizens.

How to solve the exodus of skilled workers from the industry:

The meeting identified key issues that need to be addressed to stop the departure of skilled personnel from the tourism sector:

Low wages.

High cost of living.

Lack of succession and seasonal unemployment.

Inexperienced new workers.

Staff shortages and work overload.

Unpaid overtime and lack of legal rights.

Poor living conditions.

Inadequate facilities for staff meals and domestic conditions.

Insufficient use of unemployment insurance and lack of support systems.

Problems with kindergartens and educational institutions.

Incompetence of managerial staff.

Suggestions for solving these problems:

Strengthening the role of trade unions and paying attention to the demands of workers.

Enhancing workplace belonging.

Developing workplace democracy.

Adhering to sustainable development principles.

The statement emphasizes that tourism is too important an industry to be left solely to the discretion of business leaders. Tourism has strategic importance for the country and should be seen as a modern necessity that deserves proper management.