The Cornish summer job, a rite of passage for many teenagers, is under pressure as new figures reveal a sharp drop in hospitality vacancies across the UK, with local businesses feeling the strain.

According to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), there are 22,369 fewer hospitality job postings this summer, compared to the same period in 2024 – a 25% year-on-year fall.

The decline comes despite a surge in domestic tourism, with April 2025 seeing 68.6 UK day trips, up 10% from the previous year.

In Cornwall, where tourism is a lifeline for the local economy, the impact is being felt acutely.

The latest government figures show that the employment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds in the county has dipped compared with a recent peak in 2022.

At Fistral Surf School in Newquay, manager Ben Fellows said hiring young people had become more difficult.

He said: “We’ve trialled with 15-year-olds before, but there are so many hoops to jump through.

“As a rule of thumb, we only hire 16-year-olds and above now.”

The surf school is one of the few places still offering summer work to local teens. But, across the county, opportunities are drying up.

Lilie Sampson, 26, from Newquay, remembers a different time.

“I started work at 14 in kebab shops and hotels. Then I cleaned caravans. I worked every summer,” she said.

Cathi, also from Newquay, began washing hair in a salon at 14.

She said: “It taught me grafting and gave me money to go out with friends. I earned £10 a day—that would pay for an afternoon out or a new top.”

Heather Westake, who grew up in Exeter, Devon, said her early jobs gave her independence.

“I had a paper round at 12, then worked in a pub. It was all worthwhile, I had money in the bank and it set me up for life,” she said.

But industry leaders have warned that rising costs are making it harder for businesses to hire.

Since changes to employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) were introduced in the 2024 Budget, hospitality businesses have faced £3.4bn in additional annual costs, leading to 84,000 job losses.

“This is the time when hospitality businesses would be frantically hiring staff for the busy summer months,” said Allen Simpson, chief executive of UKHospitality.

“Hiring this year has fallen off dramatically. Unless the government acts, we could well be seeing the death of the great British summer job.”

Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, added: “A drop of over 22,000 job postings is not just a staffing gap, it’s a red flag for the wider economy.

“We cannot keep loading new costs onto employers if we want vibrant high streets and strong local economies.”

A government spokesperson said: “We are determined to leave no young person behind as we drive up growth and opportunity in every corner of the country.

“Through our Plan for Change we are transforming Jobcentres, testing new ways of delivering targeted youth employment support and giving every young person the opportunity to earn or learn through our Youth Guarantee [a commitment for young people aged 18 to 21 in England to have access to further learning, help to find a job, or an apprenticeship].”