Turnover sector hotels and restaurants 1.7 percent down

• Volume 3.7 percent down
• Turnover pubs dramatically down
• Higher turnover for restaurants

In the first quarter of 2013, turnover generated by the sector hotels and restaurants was 1.7 percent down from one year previously. This is the first turnover decrease for the entire sector in nearly three years. According to the latest figures released by Statistics Netherlands, prices rose by 2.1 percent and volume declined by 3.7 percent.

Just as in the preceding three quarters, pubs faced the most substantial loss; turnover dropped by more than 6 percent in the first quarter and volume slumped by nearly 10 percent relative to the first quarter of 2012. Prices of food and drinks in pubs were on average 3.8 percent up, partly as a result of tax-increasing measures. Within the sector, prices in pubs rose most rapidly.

Unlike hotels, pubs and cafeterias, restaurants did realise turnover growth. Turnover grew by nearly 1 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. Volume shrank by 0.6 percent, the first volume decline in twenty-four months. Turnover generated by cafeterias dropped by more than 3 percent in the first quarter, volume shrank by more than 5 percent.