Seasonal Staffing in Tourism: How to Find the Right People and Keep Them Coming Back

Every tourist season brings the same challenge: staffing positions quickly with reliable people, in an environment where competition for available workers is fierce, and the window to act is narrow.

But where do you look for dependable staff, and what can you do to bring the good ones back the following year?

This article offers practical guidance on both of those questions – and a few more.

Why Seasonal Hiring in Tourism Is So Challenging

Seasonal hiring in tourism has a peculiarity that makes it one of the most demanding forms of recruitment: all businesses are looking for the same people, at the same time, under similar conditions and pay.

Demand concentrates in a very narrow window, while experienced workers in the sector remain in short supply. Hotels, restaurants, and tourism businesses are essentially competing for the same pool of candidates, which means anyone who moves slowly is already at a disadvantage.

According to data from HOTREC (2026), 14% of hospitality positions in Greece remained unfilled in 2025, accounting for approximately 36,000 vacant roles.

At the same time, turnover rates in tourism are among the highest of any industry. Many seasonal workers treat the job as a temporary fix, with no particular attachment to the business and no plans to return. This means a large part of the hiring process starts from scratch every year, with all the time and cost that entails.

Where and How to Look for Seasonal Staff

One of the most common mistakes businesses make is waiting until the need becomes urgent. The most effective recruitment channels take time to deliver results and work best when they are cultivated well in advance.

• Former employees. The most underrated channel. Someone who has already worked with you knows the pace, the expectations, and the culture of the business. A well-timed message before the season opens is often enough to secure reliable staff without starting a full hiring process from scratch.
• Local communities and networks. In areas with a strong tourism presence, a business’s reputation as an employer travels fast. Being active in local groups, working with municipalities, or professional associations can bring in candidates who are not actively job-hunting but are open to the right offer.
• Students and graduates from hospitality and culinary schools. Partnering with vocational colleges and tourism schools gives access to candidates who are looking for hands-on experience and are often more committed than expected.
• Temporary staffing agencies. When time is short and needs are large, working with a specialist staffing agency significantly speeds up the process and reduces the administrative burden.

What Keeps Seasonal Workers Coming Back

Nobody comes back for the view. Pay is the first and most decisive factor when a seasonal worker decides whether to return. Alongside it, though, there are other factors that play an equally determining role and are frequently underestimated.

The most significant is workplace culture: whether the employee feels part of the team and, most importantly, that their work is valued. In a high-pressure environment like tourism, these things make a real difference.

Equally important is a sense of prospect. A seasonal worker who sees their good performance being recognised, who can take on greater responsibilities, or who sees the possibility of permanent employment down the line, has a reason to come back. If the experience amounts to a transactional relationship with no recognition, trying somewhere else the following year becomes almost inevitable.

What Keeps Seasonal Workers Coming Back

Let’s be honest about something: pay comes first. It is the primary reason a seasonal worker decides whether to return to the same employer the following year. But it is far from the only one. There are other factors that play an equally determining role and are frequently overlooked.

The most significant is workplace culture: whether the employee feels part of the team and, most importantly, that their work is valued. In a high-pressure environment like tourism, these things make a real difference.

Equally important is a sense of prospect. A seasonal worker who sees their good performance being recognised, who can take on greater responsibilities, or who sees the possibility of permanent employment down the line, has a reason to come back. If the experience amounts to a transactional relationship with no recognition, trying somewhere else the following year becomes almost inevitable.

How to Build a Reliable Seasonal Workforce in 5 Steps

Businesses that do not struggle to find staff every summer tend to have one thing in common: they start earlier and follow, more or less, the same basic steps.

1. Start your search earlier than you think

The majority of reliable seasonal workers have already committed elsewhere by the time late-starting businesses begin looking. The goal is to have your key positions filled at least 6 to 8 weeks before the season opens. For Greek tourism, that typically means starting your search from the beginning of the year.

2. Invest in structured onboarding

An employee who starts without a clear introduction to the role and the team loses time, makes avoidable mistakes, and is more likely to leave early. A structured onboarding process does not need to be complicated: a clear first-week plan and well-defined expectations from day one are enough.

3. Evaluate at the end of every season

Before the season closes, take time for a brief assessment of each seasonal employee. Who performed well? Who would you want back? This information is the foundation of your seasonal workforce for the following year.

4. Build a pool of reliable workers

Stay in touch with the people you want to return. A short message at the end of the season and an early reach-out before the next one are enough to build a stable roster that does not start from zero every year.

5. Pay as much attention to the ending as to the beginning

The way a working relationship ends goes a long way toward determining whether someone comes back. A clear and timely heads-up about the contract ending, a genuine thank-you for their work, and a clear invitation for the following season cost very little and have a disproportionate impact.

Conclusion

Every year, businesses that treat the season as an emergency end up paying twice: in time spent searching and in the quality of the staff they find.

A reliable seasonal workforce is built gradually, with the same care and attention you give to every other part of your business.

If you need support finding and managing seasonal staff, contact us.