Tourism Industry Welcomes Interest in Apprenticeships

Dresden’s tourism industry is pleased to see increased interest among young people in vocational training. Hotels, restaurants, museums, event organizers, and tourism service providers have reported receiving more applications—and, for the most part, high-quality ones—than they have in years, according to the Dresden Tourism Association. Interest is therefore exceptionally high this year.

Difficult Years in Recruiting Young Talent Overcome

“The feedback from our member companies is truly encouraging,” said Diana Maatz, a member of the association’s board, according to the press release. The number and quality of applicants are a very positive sign following difficult years in recruiting young talent.

According to the Dresden Chamber of Industry and Commerce, a total of 526 new apprenticeship contracts were signed by the end of July in the catering, hospitality, and tourism sectors. This is roughly on par with the level seen in 2025 (558) and is significantly higher than the figures from previous years—413 in 2023 and 478 in 2024. 

Varied and not replaceable by AI

““We’re currently seeing that careers in the hospitality and restaurant industries are once again being perceived more strongly for what they are—varied careers with plenty of interaction with people, international prospects, very diverse career paths, and no risk of being replaced by AI in the short term,” added Martin Raich, General Manager of the Hilton Dresden. According to reports, he hired 14 new apprentices over the past two weeks.

Many new aspiring chefs

One profession is reportedly particularly popular: 186 young people are starting their apprenticeship as chefs this summer. According to the association, this profession has for years been among the most difficult to fill with trainees. It now appears to be regaining appeal among young people. One suspected reason is the strong presence of cooking shows and streaming formats on social media.