Activities related to Accommodation, Food Services, and Related Services employed 344,100 people in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 27,400 compared to the same period in 2025 (+8.7%). The workforce in these sectors accounted for 6.5% of the total economy (+0.4 percentage points compared to 2025). Following the recovery observed in 2025, this result confirms the strengthening of employment in the sector and represents the highest figure recorded in a first quarter since the series began.
In the first quarter of 2026, 59% of the workforce in Accommodation, Food Services, and Related Activities held a secondary or higher education qualification, compared to 70% in the economy as a whole. Although it remains below the national average, this figure represents the highest recorded in a first quarter since the series began, pointing to a gradual improvement in the sector’s skill profile.
The accommodation and food services sector in Portugal recorded an average monthly gross wage of 1,205 euros per job, a figure approximately 30% lower than the national economic average (1,728 euros). However, relative wage growth has consistently outpaced that observed in the economy as a whole, signaling a steady upward trend in wages.
