C&M Travel Recruitment has reported a ‘mixed’ month after the number of job seekers in the sector rose to its highest level since mid-2021 but vacancies fell year on year.
The total number of candidates looking for new travel jobs in February reached a 19-month high, up by 3% on January and up by 39% on February last year, making it the highest February figure for six years.
But the month was less encouraging for new travel job vacancies, which slipped by 33% on January’s level, although this was only 9% down on February last year and 4% higher than February 2020.
The travel recruitment firm reported it was also a slower month for placements, with the number of candidates placed in new travel jobs in February 22% down on January and 29% lower than February last year.
Excluding February 2021, when the sector was hit by the pandemic, February saw the lowest number of job placements since 2014.
C&M Travel Recruitment managing director Barbara Kolosinska said: “February was a very mixed month for travel recruitment, with a much-welcome rise in new candidates, but a fall in both vacancies and placements. However, March is already looking like a stronger month for activity.
“The industry is still crying out for talented travel candidates, so the increased number of job seekers that we have seen in both January and February are a great first step, but we need these strong figures to continue throughout the early months of 2023 and beyond.”