Travel and Hospitality Hiring Outlook Strengthens with 81% of Employers Planning Workforce Expansion and NEC at 12.3%: TeamLease Report

Bengaluru : Hiring across India’s travel and hospitality sector is gaining momentum, with the Net Employment Change (NEC) projected at 12.3% for HY2 FY2026–27, according to TeamLease Services’ Employment Outlook Report. With 81% of employers planning workforce expansion, the outlook points to continued hiring activity across the sector, driven by demand for talent across operational, sales and business functions.

At a functional level, hiring intent is led by blue-collar roles at 52%, closely followed by sales and marketing at 50%. Finance stands at 40%, while information technology accounts for 31% and back-office and administration for 22%. The pattern highlights demand across frontline operations as well as functions supporting customer acquisition, financial management and day-to-day business operations across the travel and hospitality ecosystem.

Geographically, Mumbai records the highest expansion intent for travel and hospitality at 29%, followed by Bengaluru at 27% and Delhi at 20%. Kolkata and Gurgaon also feature among the locations tracked in the report, with expansion intent of 19% and 18%, respectively. The findings indicate that workforce demand is spread across established commercial and travel markets.

Beyond workforce expansion, salary trends also point to continued investment in talent. According to TeamLease Services’ Jobs & Salaries Primer FY2026–27, the Travel & Hospitality industry is projected to record a 9.2% salary increment in FY2026–27, up from 8.5% in FY2025–26. The increase is supported by MICE expansion, experiential tourism and growing travel demand from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

Commenting on the findings, Balasubramanian A, Senior Vice President, TeamLease Services, said, “Travel and hospitality is a people-intensive sector where service quality and operational efficiency are closely linked to workforce readiness. As travel patterns evolve and businesses prepare for seasonal fluctuations, employers will need to balance staffing flexibility with the need for consistent customer experiences. This makes access to the right talent across frontline operations and supporting functions an important factor in sustaining service standards and building long-term business resilience.”

The hiring outlook for the coming half-year reflects continued workforce expansion across travel and hospitality, with employers planning for operational and customer-facing requirements alongside supporting business functions.

These insights are based on TeamLease Services’ Employment Outlook Report for HY2 FY2026–27, which surveyed 1,239 businesses across 23 industries and 20 cities in India between July and August 2026.

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