Skill Demand and Wage Value in the Tourism Industry: An Empirical Analysis Based on Recruitment Texts

Abstract

This study systematically analyzes the relationship between skill demand structure and salary value, utilizing a five-dimensional employability framework based on 2,345 entry-level job postings in the tourism industry. The findings reveal that social/communication skills and personal attributes are the most commonly demanded competencies but show negligible or even negative marginal returns in terms of wages. In contrast, less frequently required competencies—such as learning ability and cognitive skills—demonstrate significantly higher wage premiums. The study identifies a “scarcity premium” pattern in the tourism labor market: the market value of a skill is not determined by its demand frequency, but rather by its scarcity, development difficulty, and transferability. These findings offer valuable implications for tourism talent cultivation, student career planning, and enterprise compensation design.