The recent employment survey commissioned by CERT happily confirms that overseas tourism growth in recent years has translated into steady job growth. Employment in the tourism sector has increased by some 20 per cent over the past four years and all regions have shared in that growth. The regional distribution of employment in the sector is broadly in accordance with what might have reasonably been expected given Bord Fáilte estimates of regional tourism performance.
While the south west region provides most jobs in hotel and guesthouses at 25 per cent and in self-catering accommodation at 39 per cent e.g. restaurants, fast food outlets, tourism services and attractions in a number of other sectors, the average number employed per business in Dublin was higher than for its regional counterparts.
The spread of employment regionally for licensed premises is more even. Dublin provides 19 per cent of jobs in this respect, with the south west and mid west supplying 17 per cent and 16 per cent of jobs respectively.