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Gastronomy still with sales shortfalls after the pandemic

Hotels and restaurants suffered greatly during the Corona period and were supported by the state. There was also a shortage of skilled workers. Things picked up slightly in 2023 - but VAT will rise again in 2024.

A waiter serves a salad plate in a restaurant. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
A waiter serves a salad plate in a restaurant. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Hospitality industry - Gastronomy still with sales shortfalls after the pandemic

Hotels and restaurants in Saxony-Anhalt are still struggling with sales shortfalls compared to the time before the coronavirus pandemic. Last year was a good year overall, said the President of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) in Saxony-Anhalt, Michael Schmidt, when asked.

The summer in particular had been very good in parts and it had also been possible to make more profits in some months than before the pandemic. However, Schmidt said that the industry is now noticing that inflation in particular is putting a lot of pressure on people's purchasing behavior. Gastronomy is becoming a luxury item for many.

According to the association president, the tourist destinations in the Harz Mountains, the World Heritage Sites and the wine-growing regions in the south have developed particularly positively. However, the length of stay has fallen again to an average of two to four days. During the pandemic, people stayed much longer in some cases. According to Schmidt, many people have now made up for their vacations abroad.

The Dehoga President is more concerned about the new year. VAT, which was temporarily reduced, will then be increased again from 7 to 19 percent. "If the price of a meal suddenly jumps above the 20 euro mark, the question is how guests will accept this," said Schmidt.

According to data from the State Statistical Office, the number of deregistrations in the hospitality industry has risen again. At the same time, however, the number of business registrations rose to 870 by October and thus to a pre-corona level in the same period of the past six years.

According to the association, small businesses in rural areas are having a particularly difficult time. Hotels and restaurants in larger cities or near tourist destinations would have a much easier time.

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Source: www.stern.de

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