Battle for skilled workers: Garmisch-Partenkirchen needs more catering staff!

Battle for skilled workers: Garmisch-Partenkirchen needs more catering staff!

The Bavarian Alpine region is booming – anyone who carefully looks at the current figures knows this. In the first half of 2025, around 1.6 million overnight stays by guests from home and abroad were counted in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district. This corresponds to an increase of 7.6 percent compared to the previous year, while overnight stays across Bavaria only increased by 0.8 percent Mercury reported. This means that Garmisch-Partenkirchen continues to be very popular as a popular travel destination.

But while the figures for tourism are encouraging, there are significant challenges in the catering industry. Manuel Halbmeier, Managing Director of NGG Rosenheim-Oberbayern, emphasizes how important tourism is for the local hospitality industry. However, he complains about an acute shortage of staff and trainees. In order to meet the high demand, catering establishments must rely on permanent staff and not just temporary staff, as the well-being of the guests suffers if quality and continuity are lacking.

Problems in the hospitality industry

The corona pandemic drove many full-time workers out of the catering industry, and this gap has not yet been filled. Many businesses are responding to the staff shortage by reducing their opening hours, which is unsatisfactory for guests. The pay and working conditions are often inadequate: the standard wage for cooks and waiters in Bavaria is 17.85 euros per hour, but many workers only receive the minimum wage of 12.82 euros. This makes the industry a low-wage industry, no matter what Hiking and more confirmed.

Halbmeier appeals to catering businesses to invest the money saved through a tax reform from January 2026, which could amount to around 3.6 billion euros nationwide, in additional staff and better conditions and not just focus on their own profits.

The number of visitors in comparison

In 2024, Garmisch-Partenkirchen had around 1.635 million overnight stays. This represents an increase of 67,000 overnight stays compared to 2019. The region attracts around one million tourists annually, who come primarily for the nature and diverse activities such as hiking and cycling, while a total of around 30 million people visit the Alps annually. Upper Bavaria remains the most popular holiday region in Bavaria with an impressive 44.8 million overnight stays

Even if the region is flourishing, the pressure on the catering industry is considerable. The NGG warns of a trend in which temporary workers are increasingly being used, which could jeopardize service standards in the medium and long term. The quality and experience for guests is at stake - something has to happen otherwise the region will remain a popular destination, but visitors may be less enthusiastic.

Overall, it is clear that while the number of overnight stays in the region continues to rise, the catering industry is suffering from a combination of a lack of staff and poor working conditions. The call for change and investment in the workforce is now more appropriate than ever to maintain quality in the face of fierce competition.