TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The accommodation sector in Taiwan is experiencing a labor shortage so acute that a general manager of a five-star hotel has had to help with housekeeping.

COVID has led to job cuts in the accommodation industry over the past three years and with demand picking up post-pandemic, many are struggling to replenish the lost workforce.

Will Chen (陳慶隆), general manager of Grand Hyatt Taipei, a luxury hotel adjacent to the landmark Taipei 101, said on Wednesday (Dec. 28) the rosy outlook for 2023 is overshadowed by a lack of manpower. “I have beds to make later,” he said unironically, adding he has been assisting with bed-making since early this year.

The hotel is seeing a shortage of 120 workers in housekeeping and dining, wrote CNA, as the services are currently being supported by employees from other departments and students in cooperation with schools.

The woes are shared by Regent Taipei, another luxury hotel in the capital. Chairman Steve Pan (潘思亮) of the Silk Hotel Group, which owns Regent Taipei, has lamented that the hotel had to reject reservations for “thousands of tables” due to a lack of banquet service workers.

Chen said Grand Hyatt Taipei implemented a 10% pay raise in September with more salary hikes expected. The boost in pay, though, may not solve the problem.

Industry analysts believe the job market has undergone a structural change that tilts toward the much-coveted tech sector, which has enjoyed a boom in the country known for its semiconductor prowess despite the pandemic.

Jobseekers are becoming wary of choosing a career in the accommodation and aviation industries in the wake of COVID-19. Many youths are instead finding food delivery jobs or pursuing Internet influencing, wrote CNA, citing a hotel manager.