Indian hospitality staff get a warm welcome abroad

Time of India

17-05-2025

Bengaluru|New Delhi: India's hospitality talent is being snapped up in overseas markets – and the hiring momentum is only set to accelerate through summer 2025 and beyond.
From traditional destinations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the Maldives to Kenya, Nairobi, Japan, even Macedonia -- premium and luxury hotel chains, business and leisure resorts, QSR chains, cruise liners, airline lounges, wellness retreats, large facility management companies and private estate owners are rapidly onboarding Indian professionals across levels.
Recruitment firms and industry sources say that overseas demand is at new highs.
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'This is the most robust global momentum we've seen in over a decade,' says Neha Garg, founder-director,
Red Kite Consulting
, a company focused on strategic senior hiring.
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'This surge spans the entire spectrum — from entry-level roles in housekeeping, front office, and F&B service to mid-level spa, restaurant, and revenue functions, right up to general managers, executive chefs, directors of rooms, revenue, engineering, finance controllers, and multi-property leadership roles,' she says.
Red Kite has tracked a 35–40% year-on-year increase in international hiring mandates.
The trend picked up in a very big way of late: cruise liners are staffing; new resort openings in Vietnam, the Maldives, and Saudi Arabia are aggressively recruiting. Summer travel seasons in Europe and the
Middle East
are driving up staffing needs.
Placements rise to 20%
Additionally, ongoing bilateral collaborations, G2G agreements, and talent mobility corridors are making it easier for Indian professionals to access foreign markets.
According to various estimates, India produces approximately 15,000-20,000 hospitality graduates annually across the Institutes of
Hotel Management
, private institutes and private universities — making the country home to one of the largest formal hospitality talent pools in the world and a natural feeder for international hiring markets.
Not surprisingly, says Rajan Bahadur, CEO, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council of India, international placements, which previously accounted for about 10% of their total, have now grown to nearly 20%, indicating a strong shift in global hiring preferences towards Indian candidates.
Middle-East Calling
'The demand is primarily coming from high-growth segments -- organisations expanding rapidly in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe looking to fill critical operational and customer-facing roles,' says Bahadur. 'Indian workers, with their experience and multilingual capabilities, are fitting these roles well.'
Amjad Thaufeeg, commercial director, Kuda Villingili Resort, Maldives, says they have several Indian leaders in key roles, apart from professionals across food & beverage, wellness, front office, sales and marketing, and recreation. 'Indian hospitality professionals bring strong service skills, cultural adaptability, and a deep understanding of luxury guest expectations. With India becoming a key market, having Indian talent helps us connect better with guests,' Thaufeeg said.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations—particularly UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman—remain the largest employers due to their booming hospitality, tourism, and real estate infrastructure, said Bahadur, while Singapore and Malaysia are also actively hiring. There is also growing interest from Germany, the UK, France, Japan, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, as these regions tackle acute skill shortages in the service sector. 'The specific areas where Indian talent is being searched for includes roles like chefs, concierge services, and front office staff. New Zealand and parts of Europe are other emerging markets looking for Indians. Even Japan is searching for Indian talent, which is unusual,' said Natwar Nagar, founder, The Job Plus.
Speciality chefs are in big demand. Operations and revenue management professionals are also sought after, said Rakesh Popli, managing director, Avid Recruits.
Better pay, better work-life
For hospitality professionals, overseas pay is a big draw. Industry insiders say that depending on the country, one can earn 3-7x of what s/he would earn for a similar role in India. Housing, meals, transport and insurance are often provided, which translates into bigger savings. 'In places like Dubai, one can earn 5-7x what they can earn here. Providing accommodation is compulsory in the Middle East,' said Dilip Puri, founder of Indian School of Hospitality. Besides, overseas salaries are often tax-free in many places.
A sous chef earning ₹50,000/month in India could earn ₹1.5–2 lakhs/month abroad, with accommodation, transport, meals, and insurance included, says Garg. A director-level leader earning ₹50 lakh annually in India could command ₹80 lakh -1 crore overseas, often with housing, education for children, annual flights, and gratuity. 'Net savings in many of these cases are 3–4x higher than comparable domestic roles.'
Work-life balance is also better. 'Depending on the hotel and country, you get to do normal hours instead of long hours which are common in India,' says a senior hotelier who recently returned to India after a stint in Nairobi. 'A hotelier's job is valued more outside India,' he says.
Some chains are actively deploying Indian talent to global markets. Nikhil Sharma, MD and COO, South Asia, of the Radisson Hotel Group says they have moved general managers to the Middle East over the past few years. The key functions include learning and development, HR, operations, distribution, loyalty, and responsible business.