Turnover accommodation and food services 0.2 percent up

Turnover accommodation services more or less the same

Relative to Q2 2019, turnover in accommodation services (including hotels and holiday parks) rose by 0.1 percent in the subsequent quarter. The volume of sales (turnover adjusted for price changes) increased by 0.3 percent.

Turnover generated by hotels rose by 0.4 percent and the volume of sales by 0.2 percent in Q3. Turnover generated by other accommodation services such as holiday homes and campsites, however, decreased by 0.9 percent.

Four consecutive years with turnover growth for food and beverage services

In Q3 2019, turnover generated by food and beverage services (including restaurants, fast-food restaurants, canteens, catering companies and cafés) rose by 0.2 percent relative to the previous quarter. Turnover has been growing for four years in a row. On the other hand, the volume of sales decreased by 0.5 percent.

Canteens and catering companies recorded the highest turnover growth rate (1.0 percent). In all services, the volume of sales decreased. The strongest decline was recorded by restaurants and cafés.

Entrepreneurs less positive in Q4, but positive expectations for 2020

At the start of Q4 2019, business confidence (based on self-reporting) in the sector accommodation and food services stood at 1.9, the lowest level in almost six years. Furthermore, staffing deficits increased: a record level of 35 percent of entrepreneurs in this sector reported they were facing impediments in their business operations as a result of understaffing. The shortage of suitable personnel is also evident from the number of over 23 thousand outstanding vacancies in the sector accommodation and food services at the end of Q3 2019.

Once a year, in Q4, entrepreneurs are asked about their expectations for the coming year. Entrepreneurs in the accommodation and food services sector are slightly more positive about 2020 than they were one year ago about 2019. On balance, 19 percent expect a turnover increase and 11 percent a workforce increase in 2020.

The differences between the sectors accommodation services and food and beverage services are large. In accommodation services, on balance 31 percent expect a higher turnover in 2020 compared to 2019, while 7 percent expect a decline in workforce. Entrepreneurs in food and beverage services are slightly less positive about turnover developments: on balance, 16 percent expect a higher turnover compared to 2019. However, they are positive about workforce developments: on balance, 17 percent expect an increase in this respect.