February 28, 2017 · Team HG
Hotels, restaurants, snack bars, and cafes recorded 0.9 percent more revenue in the fourth quarter than in the third quarter of 2016, reports Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Revenue in the hospitality sector has been increasing continuously for nearly four years. With the exception of cafes, revenue rose in all sectors during these years. Volume—the number of ordered items and overnight stays—also continued to increase in the fourth quarter.
All sectors within the hospitality industry recorded revenue growth, just like in the previous quarter. However, the development of the total hospitality sector (5.0 percent) is significantly lower than in the previous quarter, when revenue increased by 8.4 percent across the board. The cold weather, particularly in October and November, could partly explain the slower growth.
Growth was once again greatest among snack bars, lunchrooms, and ice cream parlors (9.6 percent). Restaurants and hotels also performed well, with growth of 5.0 and 4.9 percent respectively. Cafés, including coffee bars and eateries, also did good business with a 3.3 percent increase. The smallest development (1.9 percent) was recorded in canteens and catering. Across the entire sector, there was a net increase of over 100 businesses, significantly fewer than in the previous quarter. The total number of hospitality businesses in the Netherlands currently stands at 53,400. Prices in the traditional hospitality sector were 2.3 percent higher than a year earlier, and the number of open vacancies decreased slightly. Additionally, the total number of bankruptcies across the entire sector declined.
Within the hospitality sector, hotel revenue increased the most, by 2 percent. At the end of 2016, hotels received more Dutch and foreign guests. Snack bars, including lunchrooms, fast-food restaurants, meal delivery services, and ice cream parlors, recorded revenue growth of 1.4 percent in the fourth quarter, and restaurants booked 0.6 percent more revenue than in the third quarter. For snack bars and restaurants, revenue growth was therefore less strong than in the preceding two quarters. Revenue at cafés, including eateries and coffee bars, decreased by 0.5 percent in the fourth quarter. In the previous quarter, revenue had increased by 3.3 percent.
In 2016, the hospitality sector achieved 6.5 percent more turnover than the previous year. This is the largest turnover growth in 16 years. Turnover adjusted for price developments was 3.9 percent higher than the previous year. At nearly 10 percent, snack bars achieved the highest turnover growth within the hospitality sector for the whole of 2016. Moreover, it was the strongest turnover growth for snack bars since the start of this measurement. Restaurants recorded over 6 percent more turnover in 2016, followed by cafés with 5.7 percent and hotels with 5.0 percent.
