Turnover accommodation and food services up in Q1

Significantly more turnover at cafés and restaurants

Seasonally adjusted turnover in accommodation services including hotels and holiday parks rose by 7.1 percent in Q1 2022 compared to the previous quarter. Hotels had 5 percent more turnover than in the previous quarter. The turnover of other accommodation services including holiday parks and campsites increased by 9.5 percent. Both branches benefited from an exceptionally mild first quarter. Moreover, coronavirus measures were relaxed considerably.

Turnover of food and beverage outlets increased by 10.6 percent compared to the previous quarter. At cafés and restaurants, turnover rose by 20.3 and 15.0 percent, respectively. Turnover of fast food restaurants (including snack bars and cafeterias) increased by 7.3 percent compared to the previous quarter. Canteens and catering was the only type of accommodation and food services with declining turnover; these establishments achieved 2.4 percent less turnover than in the previous quarter.

Accommodation and food services turnover up by over 90 percent year on year

In Q1 2022, turnover in accommodation and food services was 92.9 percent up on the same quarter of 2021. The considerable growth is due to the fact that the sector was closed almost completely during Q1 of last year. This year, too, the first quarter began in lockdown, but more and more relaxations were implemented over the same quarter. Compared to Q1 2020, during which coronavirus measures came into force for the first time, turnover was over 2 percent higher.

Although hotels recorded 174.1 percent more turnover in Q1 than one year previously, they were not back to pre-COVID levels yet. Compared to Q1 2020, turnover was almost 22 percent lower. Holiday accommodation rental companies and camping sites recorded a turnover increase of 18.2 percent compared to Q1 2021 and 18.5 percent compared to Q1 2020.

At almost 300 percent, the year-on-year turnover increase at cafés was the largest of all branches in Q1. However, turnover was still more than 5 percent lower than in the same quarter two years earlier. Restaurants achieved almost 142 percent more turnover year on year. Compared to Q1 2020, turnover was up by over 6 percent.

Fast food restaurants recorded a turnover increase of 40.4 percent year on year. Relative to Q1 2020, turnover was 27.1 percent higher. Finally, canteens and catering achieved over 48 percent more turnover than one year previously. However, their turnover was still 8.5 percent lower than two years previously.

Sharply improved confidence in accommodation and food services

At the start of Q2 2022, the mood had changed completely in accommodation and food services. Business confidence improved substantially following a low in the previous quarter, ending as the highest of all sectors. Entrepreneurs in this sector saw turnover and the economic climate improve in Q1 and also expected turnover to increase in Q2. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, business confidence (the percentage balance of positive and negative answers) has been volatile, partly on account of COVID-19 measures.

At the beginning of Q2 2022, almost 43 percent of entrepreneurs in accommodation and food services said that staff shortages formed the largest obstacle to carrying out their business activities. This was 34 percent across the entire Dutch business community.