German hospitality turnover fell 1.3% in real terms in August compared with July, after seasonal and calendar adjustment. The two main activities moved in different directions. Hotels and other accommodation providers recorded a 0.4% increase after inflation, while turnover in food and beverage services was 1.8% lower than in the preceding month. The figures for August are preliminary.
The year-on-year comparison shows why current-price receipts alone can be misleading. Food and beverage services took in 2.4% more euros than in August a year earlier. After allowing for price changes, however, turnover was 5.4% lower. Higher cash receipts can therefore coincide with a reduction in the volume of services sold.
The figures do not identify whether diners visited less often, chose a different meal or shifted their spending between establishments. Nor does hotel turnover measure occupancy. Analysing an individual operator would also require information on rooms sold, realised room rates and the precise basis of comparison.