Entrepreneurs and policy makers in the sector tell us that tourism generates wealth and jobs, but what is tourism work? What kind of work does tourism generate? And who wins with that?

The entity San Sebastian Turismo says that over 15,000 people work in the sector in San Sebastian, but what are we talking about specifically the sector? Heidi Keyer and Obady and Marci are the authors who classify tourism work in three categories. The first is that of jobs directly related to the tourist, both in hotels and restaurants, among others. The second is work in indirect contact with the tourist, as suppliers and transport. And finally, the third is assistance; institutions, emergencies, road cleaning… Therefore, it must be borne in mind that tourism work covers many forms of work.

We often hear that tourism creates jobs. But working conditions are not deepened. The Gipuzkoa Hospitality Agreement was signed in 2023, ten years later. The agreement was an improvement for the precarious sector, which included a 12% increase in wages and a more detailed control of working hours. The negotiation of the last two hotel conventions has started when workers have expressed their intention to strike, among the improvements that have been introduced are the consideration of the health of the apartment servers responsible for cleaning the hotel rooms and prevention of occupational risk or compensation of 100% of the benefit to the workers who were in the ERTE during the pandemic. On the other hand, we cannot forget the facts that in January 2023 exposed illegal contracts, miserable living and working conditions and exploitative situations in two establishments of the city.

It shares the wealth generated by tourism very badly in society. And in the most precarious tourism jobs work mostly migrant, racialized, women and young people. In the cleaning of hotels and tourist apartments, it is common for migrant and racialized women to work. Work in bars and restaurants is usually carried out by migrated people who have become “invisible”. Young people often work in these jobs for a time that allows them to get more dignified work. In the macro-sporting and cultural events organized to attract tourism to the city, temporary workers are also young.

The investors who are enriched with the Donostia tourist destination seek to reduce costs and increase profits by precarious and exploiting the working conditions of the workers: jobs that do not reach the minimum wage (SMI/SMI), physical and repetitive jobs, workers transiting through ETT… In fact, in recent years the “collaborative” economy has been included in the game as a new and modern model of exploitation. Exploitation and speculation are disguised as direct relations between citizens through colorful marketing. Home food distribution (Glovo), holiday rental homes (Airbnb), platforms that allow you to sleep in them “free” in exchange for working in hostels…

In Donostia-San Sebastián, in the direction of tourist decline and to avoid monoculture, it is a priority to create jobs not linked to tourism. On the one hand, to guarantee workers' rights and to improve working conditions. On the other hand, the economic model of the city is not part of a sector that generates great damage, unstable and so dependent on weather, energy and international policies. The Donostia-San Sebastian economy needs to be diversified in order to establish a more balanced model. To this end, the most appropriate way is to design and develop a planned transformation process, in which a series of training, grants and other measures are implemented to channel the staff currently working in tourism to other sectors, a complete transition.

While Donostia-San Sebastián is affected by the tourist industry, we are at risk as workers. In order to combat precariousness and discrimination, and to promote the transition to a more balanced economic model in the direction of tourist decline, it is more necessary than ever to organise workers and citizens. We don't accept to enrich ourselves by selling our city and our lives.

Eihar Egaña

Member of the Donostiarras Platform for Tourism Growth with Neighbors