Greece sees 85,000 tourism job gaps and unemployment rise to 10.6%

The Greek tourism sector is confronting a sharp staffing shortage, with more than 85,000 vacant positions reported for hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues. This represents a rise of over 40% compared with 2025 levels, when the need was estimated at about 60,000 jobs. Industry representatives point to a shrinking pool of domestic workers, amplified by the pandemic‑induced exit of many employees, and note that only about 10% of the shortfall is currently being filled through recruitment of workers from third‑country states.

A recent labour market report from ELSTAT shows the national unemployment rate increased to 10.6% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 10.4% a year earlier and 8.3% in the previous quarter. The number of unemployed persons reached 508,401, while total employment stood at 4,272,151, with 71.9% employed as salaried workers and 18.0% self‑employed without staff. Partial employment fell to 5.2%, and temporary work to 7.3%. These figures highlight persistent challenges in the Greek labour market, affecting both the tourism sector and the broader economy.