A labor shortage is developing in the tourism industry.

PORTLAND (AP) – Maine teenagers looking for summer work may find their best prospects in the tourism industry, where a labor shortage is developing.

Economists say the relative abundance of summer work – combined with a limited supply of foreign seasonal workers – should enable young people to be more choosy about the jobs they take.

“If there’s more openings in a limited labor supply, you would think it would be a shoppers’ market for the kids who want to work this summer, and that they would pick and choose in terms of travel times, and what’s offered by the employers in terms of wages and benefits,” said Gerard Dennison, senior economic analyst with the Maine Labor Department.

Businesses aren’t able to hire foreign seasonal workers they usually rely upon because a national visa cap has been reached, further restricting the already tight market for seasonal help in southern Maine.

As a result, employers will be competing for young workers. The increasing labor demand is not lost on youths.

“A lot of kids are realizing there’s more jobs out there,” said Alexandria Bowen, a Wells High School senior who works at the Meadowmere Resort stocking the pools and Roman baths with towels and keeping the hallways neat and vacuumed.

“I can guarantee you that more (teens) will be hired this year,” said Greg Dugal, executive director of the Maine Innkeepers Association.

“Anybody who wants to work will get a job – that I can assure you of.”

While teenagers get summers off from school, they have to return to class around Labor Day, well before the tourism season ends. Many want a week or two off before they head back to school, so they’re gone by mid-August.

But with the restrictions on foreign workers’ visas, tourism businesses have to work around issues that may normally make students less-than-ideal hires.

Kathyrn Weare, owner of the Cliff House Resort and Spa in York, said her business is using interns from college hospitality programs this year to help with the labor crunch, but still hopes to hire high school students as well.

AP-ES-04-25-04 1441EDT