The German hospitality industry reported a 2.1% decline in sales in real terms (i.e. price adjusted) last year, according to estimates from Destatis, the federal statistics office, however nominal sales rose by 1.0%.
Compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, sales in real terms were 2.6% lower in 2024, the data showed, however nominal sales were 10.4% higher, due to significant price increases in the intervening period.
Catering sector decline
The 2024 decline in sales was particularly pronounced in the catering industry, which saw a decrease of 3.7% for the first eleven months of last year, compared to the same period in 2023.
The accommodation sector was also down, year-on-year, although it posted a more moderate decline of 0.4% in the same period.
Preliminary data for the German hospitality sector in November 2024 showed a 3.9% increase in sales in real terms compared to October 2024, while nominal sales rose by 3.8%.
Within the catering sector, real sales in November 2024 were 3.4% higher than the previous month but 1.8% lower than the same month in 2023, as well as being 17.1% lower than in November 2019.
The accommodation sector, on the other hand, recorded a 5.2% increase in real sales between October and November 2024 and a 3.2% increase compared to November 2023, though real sales remained 4.9% below pre-pandemic levels.
About the data
Destatis‘ estimates for 2024 are based on data from January to November and projected figures for December. Methodological adjustments, including price and seasonal considerations, suggest real sales in the hospitality industry for the year ranged between -2.2% and -1.9%, while nominal sales ranged from +0.9% to +1.2%.
‘The results of the hospitality statistics can differ from those of the tourism statistics, especially in the summer months, because, for example, turnover in accommodation businesses does not always coincide with overnight stays,’ it added. Read more here.
