Turnover hotel and restaurant sector levels out in 4th quarter

According to provisional figures published by Statistics Netherlands, the turnover in the hotel and restaurant sector in the fourth quarter of 2003 was the same as in the corresponding quarter of 2002. In the first nine months of 2003, turnover dropped by 3 percent. Altogether, this resulted in a reduction of the total annual turnover by 2.4 percent compared to 2002.

On average, prices in the hotel and restaurant sector rose by 2.2 percent in 2003 compared to the previous year. In 2001 and 2002 the average price rise was more than 6 percent. If corrected for price rises, the volume of turnover also fell in the last quarter of 2003.

Increase in turnover hotels

Turnover of hotels, including hostels and conference centres, grew by 1.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2003. Because turnover decreased by 5 percent in the first nine months of 2003, the total annual turnover shrank by 3.5 percent compared with the previous year. 

Slight turnover increase pubs and restaurants

Turnover in restaurants grew by 1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2003 compared to the corresponding quarter in 2002. Pubs saw their turnover rise by 0.9 percent. In both divisions, price rises outstripped the increase in turnover. On balance, restaurants and pubs faced volume decreases of 0.7 and 2.5 percent respectively.

Reduced turnover snack bars

In the fourth quarter of 2003, the turnover for snack bars was 3.3 percent down on the same quarter of 2002. After correction for a 1.5 percent price increase, the volume of turnover for snack bars was 4.7 percent down on the level of the fourth quarter of 2002. The annual volume of turnover in 2003 dropped by 3.8 percent.

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