The views expressed herein are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of One News SVG.
The writer requested anonymity.
I recently read the opinion piece published by One News, The Silent Burden of Hospitality Workers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It resonated deeply with me, not only because many of the issues raised are familiar to those who have worked in the industry, but because I believe the conversation cannot end there.
If tourism is truly one of the pillars of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ future, then meaningful change is needed—not just for the visitors we welcome, but for the people whose hard work makes those experiences possible.
Every day we hear about tourism growth. New businesses are opening, visitor arrivals are increasing and recruitment campaigns encourage Vincentians to join the hospitality industry. We proudly market our islands as a destination of warmth and exceptional service.
But while we focus on attracting more people into the industry, I find myself asking a simple question:
What are we doing to improve the lives of the people already working in the industry we are so eager to promote?
Hospitality is unlike most professions. It is an industry where 48-hour work weeks, weekends, public holidays and long shifts are considered the norm. It asks people to sacrifice family time so that others can enjoy their holidays.
For parents, those sacrifices run even deeper.
How do we raise our children when we rarely have weekends at home? When do we take them to the beach, help them learn to ride a bicycle, attend sports matches, school activities? When do we simply sit around the dinner table and enjoy being a family?
These moments shape childhood, yet they are often the very moments hospitality workers miss.
Many employees leave home before their children wake up and return after they have gone to bed. Others finish work after 10 p.m. only to be scheduled back for a 6 a.m. shift the following morning. That is not simply tiring—it takes a toll on physical health, mental well-being and family life.
Over time, exhaustion becomes normal. Family conversations become rushed. Days off become recovery days rather than opportunities to make memories with loved ones.
We often hear the phrase “work-life balance”, but for many hospitality workers, it feels like something that exists only on paper.
Then there is the financial reality.
Despite working long hours in a physically and emotionally demanding industry, many hospitality workers still struggle to make it to the end of the month. Wages often do not reflect the sacrifices being made, and where salaries are divided into multiple payments throughout the month, budgeting becomes even more difficult. Rent, electricity, groceries and school expenses do not arrive in instalments, yet many workers are expected to manage their lives that way.
No one working full-time in one of our country’s most important industries should still be wondering how they will make ends meet.
This is not about blaming hotel owners or managers.
Many businesses are navigating rising operating costs, inflation, staffing shortages and increasing guest expectations. Their challenges are real and we get it..
But the challenges faced by employees are just as real.
If we are honest with ourselves, many hospitality workers would likely consider leaving the industry if offered careers with better pay, healthier working conditions and more time with their families. That should concern us all.
An industry cannot continue to grow if many of its experienced people are hoping for a way out.
So where do we go from here?
Rather than simply recognising the problem, perhaps it is time to start discussing solutions.
As tourism continues to expand, St. Vincent and the Grenadines should consider developing a Hospitality Industry Employment Charter—a national framework created through collaboration between Government, hotel operators, employee representatives and other industry stakeholders to establish standards that support both business success and employee well-being.
Such a charter could include:
• Fair wages that better reflect the responsibility, skill and sacrifices required of hospitality workers.
• Standardised pay cycles so employees are paid consistently, rather than through multiple split payments that make budgeting unnecessarily difficult.
• Fairer rostering practices, including rotating weekends off wherever operationally possible, allowing workers the opportunity to spend meaningful time with their families.
• Minimum mandatory rest periods between shifts, ensuring employees are not routinely expected to finish late at night and return just a few hours later. Rest is not a luxury—it is essential for health, safety and delivering excellent service.
• Greater investment in leadership development, employee well-being and career progression so hospitality becomes a profession people are proud to remain in, rather than one they feel compelled to leave.
These are not unrealistic expectations.
They are investments in the people who represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines every single day.
This conversation is not for Government alone. It is one for hotel owners, managers, employee representatives and hospitality workers themselves. Building a stronger tourism industry is a shared responsibility, and ensuring the people at its heart are supported must be part of that responsibility.
As we continue investing millions into our hotels, airports and tourism marketing, perhaps it is time to invest with equal determination in the people who make those investments worthwhile.
The future of tourism will not be secured by buildings alone.
It will be secured by a workforce that feels valued, fairly compensated, properly rested and able to enjoy the same quality of life we promise every visitor who chooses our beautiful islands.
Because behind every exceptional guest experience is a hospitality worker making sacrifices that most visitors will never see.
Perhaps it is time we started seeing them.
I am calling on the newly elected Government to make meaningful change within this sector.
Our people are suffering!
END
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