Data from People 1st, the sector skills council for hospitality and tourism, reveals there are “significant” opportunities ahead for highly skilled workers in the sector.

The data from People 1st’s State of the Nation 2011 reveals the need for 638,000 additional jobs by 2017 of which 69,000 are managerial posts.

Martin-Christian Kent, director of policy and research at People 1st and co-author of the report, says: “The hospitality and tourism sector is very buoyant during this time of economic difficulty and the only one that is actively creating new roles and recruiting in large numbers, particularly for highly skilled positions.

“Given its current and future growth, it’s a fantastic career option for new entrants, those seeking flexible working such as mums returning to work and older workers, as well as those looking to switch careers.”