Excerpted from the Spain Career Guide

More than 2 million people are employed in Spain's tourism sector, and the country takes its tourism very seriously.

Tourism may well be one of the brighter lights on the Spanish road to economic recovery. The 'rural tourism' subsector has grown in recent years.Spain's growing e-commerce industry experienced record sales this year, and tourism products were in the lead.

Certification and Educational Requirements

The hospitality and tourism sector covers an array of short-term (e.g., seasonal work) and long-term (e.g., hotel and restaurant management) careers. As such, the educational requirements vary widely. Degrees and/or trade certifications are sometimes required. The Ministerio de Educación (MEC) (Spanish Ministry of Education) must accept a foreign degree as equivalent to a Spanish degree before an employer may hire a foreigner for a job that requires a degree. In Spain, copies of degrees and other required information should be presented to the MEC (details below). In other countries, jobseekers must apply to the Spanish embassy or consulate. While these steps are not mandatory, they can ease job application.

Organizations and Trade Associations

Federación Española de Hostelería (FEHR)
Spanish Federation of Hotel Industry
http://www.fehr.es/ (Spanish)
The Spanish Federation of Hotel Industry is made up of 70 autonomous, provincial and regional hotel associations covering all of Spain. The federation includes the Spanish Confederacy of Social Associations of Restaurants (FEADRS), the Modern Restaurant Chains Association (FEHRCAREM) and the World Association of Spanish Restaurants. This website offers links to member organizations and industry news.

Federación Española de Hostelería (FEHR)
Camino de las Huertas, 18 - 1º
28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid)
Tel: +34 91 352 91 56
Fax: +34 91 352 90 26 
Email: fehr@fehr.es

Publications

Horeco
http://www.infohoreco.es/ (Spanish)
Published by Reed Business Information, Horeco specializes in information for hotel and restaurant management, and provides the latest information on new equipment, food, market information and industry events. It publishes in-depth market reports, interviews, news and general features. The magazine includes 97 issues per year. Annual subscriptions are available on the website.

Horeco (Reed Business Information, S.A.U.)
Zancoeta, 9
48013 Bilbao
Tel: +34 944 28 56 52
Fax: +34 944 42 53 68
Email: info@infohoreco.es

This is just a short sample of what you’ll find in over 100 pages of information in the complete Spain Guide.