The New Portuguese Migrants working in the Hotel Industry in Edinburgh: Motivations, Expectations and Realities

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the phenomenon of the new flux of Portuguese migrants that moved to Edinburgh during this decade, specifically those working in the hotel sector. This phenomenological exploration was done by achieving an understanding of their motivations, expectations, realities, and plans for the future. A theoretical framework was developed based on literature and statistics covering the areas of this study as well as the adopted qualitative research methodology. Thematic analysis was grounded in the data collected from five semi-structured interviews and utilised to identify connections between theory and practices. The research findings of these migrants' experiences satisfy the objectives outlined, resulting in the research aim and question being met. This project revealed the migrants' personal and professional background, their reasons for leaving Portugal and for choosing Scotland, their expectations of the migration and of working in a hotel, their quotidian friendships, employment - including perceptions of the hotel sector - and visits to their home country, and their intentions of returning to Portugal or remaining in Scotland, noting on their sentiments towards Brexit and its effect on their choices. This project contributed to the sociological understanding of migration within the hospitality industry, and improved the relative poverty of qualitative research into this topic. Recommendations for future research have also been provided, to further explore Portuguese hotel worker migrants' motivations, expectations and realities, or similar.