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70% of hotels and ryokans in Japan suffer from labour shortage while domestic travel demand rapidly grows

The latest Teikoku Databank’s survey finds the highest ratio of companies that have suffered from labour shortages as of October 2022 since April 2020. Labour shortage was particularly serious in the hospitality industry, as labour shortage of full-time employees was seen in 65.4% of hotels and ryokans (51.1% on average),  and labour shortage of part-time employees in 75% of hotels and ryokans (31% on average).  

Also, the survey finds 66.7% of hotels and ryokans answered that they have increased overtime working because travel demand has rapidly grown since nationwide travel discount program and open of the Japanese border started on October 11 2022. 

Some of surveyed hotels and ryokans said that labour shortage has forced them to lose business opportunities, and workers do not come back because operations depend on the infection condition, according to Teikoku Databank.