Accommodation and food services turnover declines in Q4

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In Q4 2021, turnover in the accommodation and food services sector fell by 18.5 percent relative to the previous quarter, as reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). This was mainly due to the tightening of measures against the spread of coronavirus. The sector still experienced a sharp rebound in Q3 as measures were relaxed. With Q4, the annual figure for 2021 has also become available. Last year, turnover in the accommodation and food services sector grew by 13.5 percent relative to 2020. It shrank by 25 percent compared to pre-pandemic year 2019. Accommodation and food services is among the sectors that were worst affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Significantly lower turnover for hotels, restaurants and cafés

Turnover in accommodation services, including hotels and holiday parks, fell by 15.9 percent in Q4 2021 compared to the previous quarter. Hotels had 20.2 percent less turnover than in the previous quarter. The turnover of other accommodation services, including holiday parks and campsites, shrank by 8.1 percent. As the Christmas period fell exactly in the hard lockdown that took effect on 19 December, many entrepreneurs missed out on a substantial part of their turnover.

Turnover of food and beverage outlets decreased by 19.3 percent compared to the previous quarter. There were major differences between the branches. Turnover at cafés and restaurants shrank by 31.5 and 28.6 percent, respectively. The tightened coronavirus measures, including limited opening hours, were to blame for this. Turnover of fast food restaurants (including snack bars and cafeterias) shrank by 4.7 percent compared to the previous quarter. The fall in turnover for canteens and catering remained relatively limited to 0.2 percent.

Accommodation and food services turnover grew by 13.5 percent in 2021

The accommodation and food services sector achieved 13.5 percent more turnover in 2021 than in 2020. All underlying branches realised higher turnover. However, the turnover increase did not make up for the sector’s loss in 2020. Compared to pre-pandemic 2019, turnover was still lower by more than a quarter. The accommodation and food services sector continued to suffer from strict lockdowns in 2021.

Hotels furthest away from pre-pandemic level

Despite 5.6 percent year-on-year turnover growth last year, there was no real recovery for hotels. Of all the branches in the accommodation and food services sector, hotels are still furthest from the pre-pandemic level. Turnover in 2021 was still less than half that in 2019. The picture is different for the other accommodation services, including holiday parks and campsites: these realised 22.9 percent turnover growth in 2021, after achieving turnover growth in 2020 as the only branches in the sector. The holiday parks and campsites benefited from the many extra holidays taken domestically as well as the higher prices.

Although turnover of food and beverage outlets grew by 13.9 percent, it was still 22.2 percent removed from the 2019 level. Restaurants, cafés, canteens and catering services achieved turnover growth rates of 15, 3.3 and 13.7 percent respectively, but all of them still achieved significantly less turnover than in 2019. Fast food restaurants including snack bars and cafeterias were less affected by the coronavirus measures; their turnover was 18 percent higher than in 2020. Compared to 2019, turnover was 1.7 percent higher. Together with the other accommodation services, they were the only branches that also achieved more turnover in 2021 than in 2019.

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