Seasonality problem in tourism sector and the impact of seasonal employment on tourism employees' organizational commitment levels: a research in lodging enterprises

The seasonality concept, which is accepted as a structural feature of tourism sector, is usually regarded as the most significant characteristic of the sector and as a great challenge to deal with. Since activities in tourism develop mainly with personal decisions, seasonality in tourism sector is constituted by many different factors. There are many similarities between the factors causing seasonal fluctuations in tourism demand and the reasons of tourism seasonality since seasonality in tourism significantly causes fluctuations in tourism demand.The main factors creating seasonality in tourism sector yield some consequences for employers and employees in the sector such as ?seasonal employment? which has great impacts on labor usage in the sector. While employees, who are categorized under this type of employment, generally have job opportunities during high season, they may easily find themselves as unemployed during low season. In the following season, these employees may have to look for new jobs. These frequent changes in jobs affect employees? organizational commitment levels seriously. Being a labor-intensive sector, tourism offers seasonal employment to most of its potential employees. Most of these seasonal employees could have to quit their jobs involuntarily during low season. This situation creates some problems for both employees and employers in the sector.In this study a comparison is made between the organizational commitment levels of full-time and seasonal employees working at lodging enterprises in Izmir and the results are examined. The main aim of the study is to evaluate the impacts of seasonal employment on tourism employees? organizational commitment levels.Key Words: Tourism Sector, Seasonality, Seasonal Employment, Labor, Organizational Commitment.