KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is witnessing a rebound of the tourism sector, which is vital for economic growth to raise the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), said Malaysian Industrial Relations and Human Resources Association president Prof Dr Balakrishnan Parasuraman.
“The hospitality sector has now become another choice for students due to its significantly increased hiring rate. This is a remarkable turn of events as the hospitality and tourism industry was all but wiped out during the Covid-19 outbreak.
“But now, we are witnessing its revival and development, even on the global scene. This is vital for Malaysia, which can draw international tourists and increase national revenue from the hospitality industry,” he said.
Balakrishnan, who is also a professor at the Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) Entrepreneurship and Business Faculty, said demand for hospitality graduates in today’s job market has put UMK among the top 10 institutions offering Hospitality Management studies at the national level.
foundit Insights Tracker (FIT), which compiles a comprehensive monthly analysis of job posting activity across online recruitment platforms, said the hospitality sector in Malaysia has witnessed a 59% increase in hiring, compared with the same period last year.
It also said the job market has displayed remarkable resilience and showed consistent growth in the past year, which reflects a gradual but positive shift in the labour market.
FIT CEO Sekhar Garisa said: “The hospitality and travel industry experienced the most significant demand this March, with a year-on-year increase of 210%, followed by sales and business development, which had a 15% increase in hiring. The finance and accounting sector experienced a 13% rise in risk management and compliance responsibilities year-on-year.
“However, there are certain industries that have seen a drop in hiring activities, such as information technology, internet service providers such as Telekom Malaysia, business process outsourcing, and information technology enabled services,” he added.
“Overall, FIT figures show Malaysia’s employment market is gradually improving, and demand for online jobs will continue to rise in the coming months. While some areas have witnessed a decrease in recruiting activity, others, such as the hospitality industry have seen a rise, making it an excellent time for job seekers to look into the options available in the employment market.”
On Malaysia’s job trends, Sekhar said many companies were still actively seeking new talents, particularly individuals with specialised, high-demand skill sets.
“It is highly encouraging that job seekers are staying up-to-date with industry demands and focusing on building skills that give them an edge. But although the industry is growing steadily and student enrollment has risen in several public and private colleges over the past year, graduates’ demands for higher salaries may contribute to their unemployment,” he said.
“Students should focus on academic excellence and participate in a variety of off-campus and on-campus activities that are widely offered at all learning institutions. Industries and universities should collaborate on syllabus development that potentially helps the industries in the future.”
