Sector hotels and restaurants thriving

According to provisional figures published by Statistics Netherlands, the sector hotels and restaurants reported a 4.5 percent higher turnover in the third quarter of 2006 than one year previously. Prices increased by nearly 2 percent, hence the volume of turnover rose by 2.5 percent. For the sixth quarter running, sales were up on one year ago. Hotels did good business, snack bar owners, who faced a downturn in the second quarter, did better in the third quarter.

Snack bars back in the black

Turnover in the snack bar segment dipped in the second quarter compared to the same quarter last year, but in the third quarter sales picked up and the volume of turnover rose by 2.4 percent. In September, snacks and ice creams sold well, due to the warm and sunny late summer weather. Since 2001, turnover declined each year compared to the previous year. The first three quarters of 2006 achieved an average increase of almost 1 percent.

Recovery substantial for hotels, marginal for pubs

Hotels performed very well in the third quarter and recorded a 6 percent higher turnover compared to the same quarter of 2005. Turnover in the category restaurants increased by nearly 5 percent, volume by 2.7 percent. Pubs recorded a modest increase of turnover volume by 0.8 percent and performed poor compared to the first two quarters and other branches in the sector.