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- Hiking and cooking: tourism and catering have overtaken other industries in terms of salary growth
Hiking and cooking: tourism and catering have overtaken other industries in terms of salary growth
Employees of hotels and restaurants in Russia began to raise salaries faster than everyone else, Izvestia found out. Until recently, these industries were considered outsiders in terms of salary growth, but now the situation has changed dramatically. According to Rosstat, incomes in the sector increased by almost a quarter over the year, significantly higher than the national average of 15%. At the same time, the level of earnings there is still below average and holds about 73 thousand rubles. Against the background of a boom in domestic tourism and an acute shortage of line staff, employers are forced to compete sharply for staff. Which industries suddenly become salary leaders and how this will turn out for business — in the Izvestia article.
Which areas in Russia pay the most and the least
At the beginning of 2026, salaries in Russia continued to grow, but the dynamics turned out to be extremely uneven across industries. According to Rosstat data from June (Izvestia studied them), in the first quarter, the average nominal salary in the Russian Federation increased by 15% year-on-year and reached 107 thousand rubles. However, not all areas were able to show such a result.
Fishing, coal mining, automobile manufacturing, woodworking, and rail transportation were among the laggards. In these industries, the income growth of employees only slightly exceeded or was even lower than the official inflation rate of 6% during that period.
The situation is quite different in sectors where there is traditionally a high demand for staff. According to statistics, earnings in the financial sector, trade, real estate transactions, as well as in scientific and technical activities increased by about 20%. However, the hotel and restaurant business has become the absolute leader, where average salaries have increased by almost a quarter over the year. Moreover, such a jump occurred in January – March, the months that are considered the low season for tourism.
Despite the high growth rates, the salary level in the industry remains below the national average — only 73 thousand rubles, which is almost 1.5 times less than the national average. At the same time, data from the Avito Work service shows that the average offers in the industry have grown even more noticeably over the year — by 36%, but up to 68 thousand.
The outstripping income growth of employees in the hotel and restaurant business began back in February 2026. The CMAKP analysts draw attention to this in the review reviewed by Izvestia. According to the center, the average monthly accrued salaries in the industry had already increased by 20% compared to last year.
At the same time, experts note that until recently, this area, on the contrary, lagged significantly behind the general dynamics of the economy and was one of the outsiders in terms of wage growth. So, in 2025, compared with 2024, earnings in the industry increased by only 5%.
At the same time, the CMACP study talks about the phenomenon of "leveling growth." Previously, construction and trade were the main drivers of wage increases, but now the accelerated increase in income is gradually covering those areas where earnings have remained relatively low for a long time.
"This push—pull mechanism — the growth of leaders and the subsequent leveling growth of outsiders - is becoming one of the factors of the general creeping increase in wages in the economy. On the one hand, it supports the consumption of the population, and on the other hand, it reduces the investment opportunities of companies," the review notes.
Salaries in Russia in real terms have increased by more than 30% in five years, Vladimir Putin said at the SPIEF. Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Energy and Rosstat.
Why it has become more profitable to work in catering and hotels
This trend has become a natural consequence of structural changes in the Russian labor market, says Andrey Glushkin, Managing Partner of the Main Division and member of the Council of the MRO Delovaya Rossiya. According to him, the key factor remains an acute shortage of personnel amid record low unemployment.
— The hotel and restaurant business is one of the most illustrative examples. The industry is developing following the growth of domestic tourism, new accommodation and catering facilities are opening, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find waiters, cooks and administrators on the same terms. As a result, employers are forced to significantly raise salaries," Andrei Glushkin explained.
Additional pressure, according to the expert, is exerted by the rising cost of living. The accelerated rise in the price of rental housing, food and transportation services is forcing companies to increase salaries even in low-margin business segments in order to retain employees and avoid their transition to competitors.
However, the period of record revenue growth is probably coming to an end. CMAKP analysts predict that starting in 2026, real wages (adjusted for inflation) will add only 1.2–1.7% annually against 3.5% by the end of 2025.
Minek gives a similar assessment. According to the agency's forecast, in 2026, real wages in Russia will increase by only 2.2%.
How does the increase in salaries in tourism affect the economy
Rising wages in these sectors directly affect consumer demand: hotels, restaurants and management companies employ hundreds of thousands of people across the country, and their incomes quickly turn into expenses, said Andrey Glushkin from Delovaya Rossiya.
But for the companies themselves, the situation is becoming more complicated. The hotel and restaurant business operates with small margins and strong competition. When the wage fund grows by 15-47%, it is not always possible to raise prices for services — people are simply not ready to pay more. Because of this, profits are declining, especially for small regional companies without a financial cushion, the expert says.
LOUIS+ Kirill Grinberg, Director of GR and Interaction with government customers and Large Businesses, gives a similar assessment. According to him, the increase in salary costs actually reduces the profits that companies could invest in development.
— The economy is overheating. Small and medium-sized businesses in tourism are under pressure: costs are rising and investment opportunities are declining. Reducing the administrative burden alone is no longer enough," he said.
The expert considers the gradual introduction of AI to be one of the solutions where it helps to reduce costs.
Andrey Glushkin believes that the rapid growth of salaries in outsider industries is not a long-term trend, but a catch—up effect. In 2026-2027, growth is likely to slow down: some companies will begin to reduce staff or implement automation more actively, and some will raise prices.
If the economy slows down, it is possible that real incomes will decline even with nominal wage growth due to inflation, he added.
Thus, the increase in salaries reflects not so much an increase in efficiency as an imbalance in the labor market. In the short term, this stimulates consumption, but limits business development.
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