As of: February 20, 2024, 4:30 p.m
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Potatoes are draped on a plate: The German hospitality industry is going through difficult times.
© Sina Schuldt/dpa
Corona, the lack of staff and high energy and food costs are clearly depressing the mood in the catering industry - and sales.
Berlin – 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 on Tuesday regarding preliminary results.
Adjusted for inflation (real), however, there was only an increase of 1.1 percent.
An initial estimate showed slightly higher increases.
Gastronomy is struggling with increased costs
Compared to the pre-Corona year of 2019, hospitality sales rose by 8.8 percent, but fell by 11.3 percent in real terms - this large difference is due to the sharp increase in prices.
“The economic situation in the hospitality industry is extremely tense,” said President Guido Zöllick of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga).
“Germany’s hosts are looking back on their fourth year of losses in a row,” explained Zöllick.
After adjusting for inflation, the industry has still not reached the revenues of before the virus pandemic.
“Gastronomy in particular has been severely affected by the significantly increased costs of personnel, food and energy since 2022.” In addition, the expiry of the tax relief at the beginning of 2024 has significantly clouded the mood.
Since January, 19 percent VAT has been due again instead of the temporary seven percent.
Association: Industry starts 2024 with a loss in sales
Many businesses felt that guests were becoming increasingly price-sensitive and more cautious, said the Dehoga boss.
That's why the new year started with a drop in sales.
According to the Dehoga survey, sales in January were nominally 10.2 percent below the previous year.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to work economically,” said Zöllick.
“Fears about the future in the industry are increasing.
The outlook is bleak.”
The accommodation industry had 4.5 percent more real sales last year than in 2022. “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 and were therefore 12.9 percent lower than in 2019. Sales in the restaurants, pubs and snack bars division recorded a real decrease of 1.1 percent compared to the previous year.
In the area of serving drinks, which includes pubs, discos and bars, the real decline was 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.
(Reuters, lf)