Turnover accommodation and food services sector virtually unchanged in Q4

The publication of the figures for Q4 also means that the annual figure for 2023 as a whole is available. In 2023, the turnover of the accommodation and food services sector grew by 13.2 percent compared to 2022. Volume was almost 6 percent higher. The growth in 2023 was partly due to the continuing restrictions to limit the spread of coronavirus in Q1 2022 and major price increases during 2023.

Slight rise in turnover in accommodation services

The seasonally adjusted turnover in accommodation services, which includes hotels and holiday parks, rose by 0.2 percent on the previous quarter in Q4 2023, while hotels achieved an increase of 0.1 percent. The turnover of other accommodation services, including holiday parks and campsites, increased by 0.5 percent. Volume (turnover adjusted for price changes) in accommodation services rose by 0.4 percent.

The turnover of food and beverage outlets increased by 0.1 percent compared to the previous quarter, with the turnover of canteens and catering growing the most strongly at 0.4 percent. Fast food restaurants (including snack bars and cafeterias) achieved 0.2 percent more turnover. The turnover of restaurants remained unchanged, while the turnover of cafés decreased by 0.3 percent. Volume in food and beverage outlets decreased by 1.0 percent.

Turnover in accommodation and food services up by 13.2 percent in 2023

Turnover in the accommodation and food services sector was 13.2 percent higher in 2023 than in 2022. All parts of the sector recorded higher turnover figures. Last year was the first year since 2020 with no restrictions relating to COVID-19. In 2022, there was a strict lockdown in the Netherlands lasting until mid-January and the last measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were lifted in March 2022. This had a positive effect on turnover in the accommodation and food services sector in 2023. In addition, prices in 2023 were higher than one year earlier. Volume in 2023 was almost 6 percent higher than in 2022.

Largest increase in hotels and canteens and catering

In 2023, hotels achieved 17.8 percent more turnover than in 2022. Holiday rentals and camping sites recorded a turnover increase of 4.3 percent. Canteens and catering recorded almost 20 percent more turnover and restaurants almost 14 percent more. Cafés increased their turnover by 10.5 percent in 2023. Finally, fast food restaurants recorded a year-on-year increase in turnover of almost 9 percent.

Sentiment worsens in the accommodation and food services sector

Business confidence in accommodation and food services decreased from -13.1 at the beginning of Q4 2023 to -13.5 at the beginning of Q1 2024. Businesses in this sector were more negative about the economic climate in the past three months, but less negative about the economic outlook for the next three months. At the start of Q1, business confidence was negative in almost all non-financial sectors of the Dutch economy.

With effect from the reporting period of 2024, the base year for turnover in the accommodation and food services will be adjusted from 2015 to 2021. Due to the implementation of the Framework Regulation Integrating Business Statistics (FRIBS) in 2021, the base year will this time be 2021 instead of 2020. The next base shift will again be in a usual year, namely 2025. Furthermore, the figures will be published monthly instead of quarterly. The index series with reference 2021=100 will be published in a new StatLine table “Trade and services”. The old series (base year = 2015) can still be accessed in StatLine, but will no longer be updated.