Relaxation during overnight stays
The hospitality industry earns less than before Corona
February 20, 2024, 11:16 a.m
High inflation distorts the statistics. Accordingly, the German hospitality industry earned significantly more last year. But adjusted for the increased prices, revenues were still below the level before the corona pandemic. Only hotels, guesthouses and inns report good business.
Hotels, restaurants and caterers did not increase their sales last year as much as previously assumed. The German hospitality industry took in a total of 8.5 percent more than in 2022, as the Federal Statistical Office announced. Adjusted for inflation (in real terms), however, there was only an increase of 1.1 percent, because after initially high growth there was a downward trend, especially in the second half of the year. An initial estimate showed increases of 9.6 and in real terms of 2.6 percent. Compared to the pre-Corona year 2019, hospitality sales rose by 8.8 percent, while in real terms they were 11.3 percent lower – this big difference is due to the sharp rise in prices.
According to the information, the overall positive balance is due to the comparatively high growth in accommodation: there was real sales growth of 4.5 percent. “The number of overnight stays there had almost reached the pre-Corona level again in 2023,” emphasized the statisticians.
Hotels, inns and guesthouses generated 5.2 percent more real sales last year. Holiday accommodation and campsites, on the other hand, took in less. In the catering industry, real sales fell by 0.9 percent in 2023. It was 12.9 percent lower than in 2019. Sales in the restaurants, pubs and snack bars sector recorded a real decline of 1.1 percent compared to the previous year.
In the area of serving drinks, which includes pubs, discos and bars, the real declines were particularly high at 4.8 percent. They are more than a third below the pre-Corona level of 2019. Only caterers and other food service providers were able to achieve a real sales increase of 1.8 percent compared to 2022