Tourism helps put Spaniards back to work

AFP, MADRID: Spain’s jobless rate tumbled in the second quarter, official data showed yesterday, lifted by strong job creation in the services sector as the busy tourist season got underway.

The unemployment rate stood at 17.2 per cent in the second quarter, down from 18.7 per cent in the previous quarter, national statistics institute INE said. The number of people out of work fell to 3.9 million at the end of June from 4.25 million at the end of March.

The second quarter tends to be a strong period of job creation as the tourism season begins, with the services sector creating the most jobs in the second quarter -- 272,400 -- as hotels, restaurants and other tourist-oriented businesses took on extra staff.

While Spain’s unemployment rate is down from a peak of 26.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2013, it is still nearly twice the eurozone average of 9.3 per cent and the bulk of the jobs being created are temporary contracts rather than permanent.

 

Tourism helps put Spaniards back to work

AFP, MADRID: Spains jobless rate tumbled in the second quarter, official data showed yesterday, lifted by strong job creation in the services sector as the busy tourist season got underway. The unemployment rate stood at 17.2 per cent in the second quarter, down from 18.7 per cent in the previous quarter, national statistics institute INE said. The number of people out of work fell to 3.9 million at the end of June from 4.25 million at the end of March. The second quarter tends to be a strong period of job creation as the tourism season begins, with the services sector creating the most jobs in the second quarter -- 272,400 -- as hotels, restaurants and other tourist-oriented businesses took on extra staff. While Spains unemployment rate is down from a peak of 26.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2013, it is still nearly twice the eurozone average of 9.3 per cent and the bulk of the jobs being created are temporary contracts rather than permanent.