AND M ARIA D OUMI
6.5. Conclusion
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industry (16.7%) or as freelancers with staff either fewer or more than three employees (33.3%). 33.3% of freelancers without employees, 5.6%
of freelancers with more than three employees and 1.8% of freelancers employing less than three people turned to the hospitality industry. Those who pursued the career of mariner developed professional mobility towards hospitality businesses (16.7%) or became freelancers with more than three employees. The Monte Carlo correlation coefficient indicated only negligible correlation between previous and current employment of those questioned (p = 0.077).
Table 6.2 – Correlation between previous occupation and main one
Previous Occupation
Main Occupation
Hospitality industry Farmers- stockbreeders Wage earners Wage earners in high positions Freelancers employing staff 3 Freelancers employing staff <3
% % % % % % Farmers-stockbreeders 16.7 60.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 Wage earners 16.7 20.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 33.3 Civil servants 3.7 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Wage earners in high
positions 1.8 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0
Mariners 16.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 0.0 Freelancers employing
staff 3 5.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 0.0 Freelancers employing
no staff 33.3 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Freelancers employing
staff <3 1.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100
Monte Carlo p: 0.077
Multi-Professionalism and Mobility in the Hospitality Industry 91
the area in question but also altered the characteristics of the domestic labour market by creating additional opportunities for professional and otherwise mobility. The investigation confirmed that the phenomenon of multi-professionalism is directly related to the consolidation and boost of tourism services, as shown by a previous research conducted by Zagotsi (2007).
However, in the case of Chios’ professional mobility a lack of intensity has been recorded, explained mainly by the level and type of tourism development of the particular destination. Chios is still a rising tourism destination and its tourism product is mainly consisted of small-sized rental businesses, mostly operating seasonally from May to September.
These businesses are in their majority family run with mainly self- employed owners and assisting family members who work with them either full time or part time. The characteristics of businesses related to ownership and their employment features are consistent with the industry features in Greece, where the largest number of hospitality industry employers appears to be self-employed with or without assisting family members (Kasimati, 1980; Zagotsi, 2007).
Multi-professionalism as well as supplementary occupation constitutes significant characteristics of the contemporary Greek economy and society which have been intensified in recent years due to the financial crisis (IOBE, 2013). In an earlier investigation of Papadaki-Tzedaki (1999), conducted before the financial crisis, those engaging in the hospitality industry of Rethymnon, Crete, appear as multi-occupied. In this survey the majority of participants (59%) appear also to be multi-occupied, i.e practicing more than one profession. The need for an increase in personal earnings was the main reason why residents established hospitality businesses and got involved in tourism, at least during the tourist season.
The investigation carried out on professional mobility and multi- professionalism revealed noticeable aspects of employment in the hospitality industry. The figures at hand should be read as a result of changes brought about by the development of tourism and the prevalence of new socio-economic conditions. Further scientific attention should be given to the professional category of hospitality industry owners. It has been established that the main cause of mobility for individuals in this professional position is their dominant aim to increase their earnings, recognizing that tourism as an economic activity offers new positions and creates the necessary conditions for people from lower social and professional layers to move upwards.
This research has been carried out in a particular geographical area and in a specific situation (intense financial crisis), rendering the findings
Chapter Six 92
neither appropriate to be generalized nor applicable to the whole of the country. Future research should focus on the investigation of professional mobility of those working in tourism and especially the owners of hospitality businesses in a wider geographical territory and time span to reduce the effects of medium-term macroeconomic conditions.
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