Young people in the Balearic Islands see tourism as a last resort for work

Fiol further explains that one of their challenges is the limited number of vocational training students opting for specialised courses in travel agency work. Additionally, as he previously mentioned, university graduates tend to favour careers in the hotel sector. "We face an issue with overqualified employees, as retaining them is extremely difficult. They typically stay for just a year and leave as soon as a better opportunity arises," he notes.

The president of Aviba highlights that travel agencies in the Balearic Islands are looking for around 250 workers and emphasises the significant challenges in filling these positions. He believes that "young people have a skewed perception of this profession, which has evolved greatly in recent years. Today, we don't just sell plane tickets or hotel stays; we create and sell experiences."

In relation to this, he stresses that a new market niche has emerged, enabling travel agencies to withstand the competition brought by the internet. "Our clients seek organised trips filled with experiences and a sense of security—services that only a travel agency can provide. There's always someone available to assist and resolve any issues that may arise," he explains.

When asked about the typical profile of employees in travel agencies across the Islands, he notes that they are generally Spanish nationals aged between 30 and 50. However, he adds, "We are increasingly hiring staff from Latin America, who have extensive knowledge of the airline industry and are highly skilled in selling airline tickets to these regions."