China’s Hospitality Sector Booms with Job Openings Surge Amid Post-COVID Demand
China’s hotels and restaurants are in need of personnel as the services sector experiences a revival in demand following the lifting of Beijing’s COVID-19 protocols. A survey conducted by a prominent recruitment company, Zhaopin, revealed a 40% increase in job openings in the hospitality sector during the first six days of work after the Lunar New Year holiday, compared to the same period in the previous year.
According to a recent survey taken in 38 major cities in China, the need for passenger vehicle and freight truck drivers, as well as airplane and train crews, has jumped by 85.2% due to the busy transport and logistics sectors post-COVID reopening.
The survey also revealed a 58.9% increase in job openings in the tourism services industry due to the abandonment of the zero-COVID regime and increased demand during the festival season, while postings for workers in the manufacturing sector rose by 42.2%.
Cities such as Foshan, Guangzhou, and Dongguan in the southern Guangdong province saw significant growth in job openings, with increases of 43.2%, 19.6%, and 9.2% respectively. With the goal of achieving more than 5% GDP growth in 2023 after only a 1.9% increase in 2022, the biggest provincial economy in China is optimistic about its economic development, with 72% of firms surveyed expressing confidence due to the relaxation of COVID restrictions and a focus on economic growth.
Despite concerns in China’s real estate and export industries, job seekers are seeking stability in their employment, with 33.9% prioritizing “secure positions with no layoff risks,” a marked increase from 26.8% the previous year. A separate, privately conducted survey also indicated that China’s service sector showed growth for the first time in five months in January.
