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Recruiting through Eures

Eures Mobility Conference in Reykjavík June 22nd, 2007

Þórður B. Sigurðsson, Assistant Managing Director, Fosshótel ehf.

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Fosshótel ehf.• Founded in 1996• The company operates two brands of accommodation types,

featuring approx. 700 rooms and 200 employees during summer vs. 300 rooms and 70 employess during winter

• Fosshotels (since 1996)– 11 hotels, friendlier all around Iceland– 5 hotels open all year

• Inns of Iceland (since 2005)– 2 guesthouses in Reykjavík– 1 open all year

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Supply of hotel and guesthouse beds per year

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Overnights in hotels and guesthouses per year

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Average yearly occupancy of hotel and guesthouse beds

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Average unemployment rate per year

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2006 compared to 2000

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2006 vs. 2000

• The supply of beds has increased in both categories

• Number of overnights has increased in both categories

• Occupancy has increased when looked at all Iceland but decreased in capital area only

• Unemployment rate is again very low in 2006

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How do we get new staff?

• Advertisment in local papers• Through our own webpages www.fosshotel.is and

www.inns.is • Through recruitment agencies such as Eures IS, Club

Teli in France and others• Word of mouth

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Who applies?• In many cases we offer seasonal jobs at remote

locations where working hours can include weekends and evenings

• The above conditions have not changed since the early days of Fosshotel ehf.: we still offer the same services at same or similar locations

• What has changed is the applicant• We are getting fewer applications from locals (for both

seasonal and whole year positions) and more applications from members of the EU, especially recent members

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Conclusion• Given that the increase of bed supply is greater than the

increase of occupancy one might conclude that the position of hotels and guesthouses from a competitive point of view is to some extent more vulnerable today than in the past

• Supply has exceeded demand, at least in the capital area where most rooms are to be found, making it harder for hotels and guesthouses in Iceland to compete for staff

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References

• Statistics Iceland - http://www.statice.is• Directorate of Labour -

http://www.vinnumalastofnun.is