Travel industry recruitment slumps amid Middle East conflict

Recruitment activity in the travel industry slowed last month as the Iran conflict continued to affect the market, according to C&M Travel Recruitment.

The number of candidates, vacancies and people being placed in jobs all fell both month to month and year on year, the company said, representing the first time this has happened since June last year.

Barbara Kolosinska, co-owner and managing director of C&M Travel Recruitment, said: “After an unsteady few months in recruitment, global events are now clearly having an impact on many travel companies’ current staffing plans.”

The number of new candidates searching for a job in the travel industry dropped by 2% last month compared with May last year, but by 16% compared with April.

The number of new travel job opportunities last month fell by 26% compared with May 2025 and by 7% compared with April, while the number of placements fell by 41% year on year and by 33% compared with April.

Kolosinska said: “While it is incredibly difficult to forecast, there are signs that we may be nearing the end of the Iran war and that the next few months could become more stable, but it is simply too early to tell.

“What is clear is that, despite the uncertainty, many candidates are still actively exploring current opportunities – and attractive roles with appealing salaries will be increasingly sought after.”