Georgia’s labor shortage is putting increasing pressure on the HORECA sector, with hotels struggling to recruit and retain frontline staff despite significant wage increases. The biggest shortages are reported among cleaners, housekeepers, bartenders and waiters, according to Georgian Hotels Federation founder Shalva Alaverdashvili.
“Compared with 2022, wages for frontline positions in our sector have increased by 100%. In 2022, average pay was GEL700–800, while today take-home pay starts at GEL1,300 and above,” Alaverdashvili said. He added that the shortage remains particularly severe in housekeeping, while students are more commonly employed in administrative roles.
According to Alaverdashvili, emigration is the main destination for qualified workers leaving the sector. He said businesses are trying to prioritize Georgian workers, partly because of new state regulations and concerns about trust when foreign workers have access to hotel rooms and guests’ personal belongings.
Alaverdashvili said the sector may eventually have to reconsider employing foreign workers to address the shortage. He also argued that stronger business activity and higher revenues would give companies greater capacity to raise wages further and retain employees.
