Hospital industry experiencing revival

In the heart of Germany, the hospitality industry in North Rhine-Westphalia has been hit hard by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. According to recent data, the industry's revenue for July 2020 was 28.0% lower than the same month in the previous year, adjusted for price changes.

The decline was particularly pronounced in the accommodation sector, with nominal revenue plummeting by 46.3%. Real revenue in this sector dropped by an even steeper 48.1%. Restaurants also felt the brunt of the pandemic, with real and nominal revenues decreasing by 26.7% and 21.5% respectively compared to July 2019.

However, there was a glimmer of hope as the beverage-serving gastronomy sector showed a 14.3% increase in revenue compared to June 2020. Despite this, it still faced significant losses, with revenue decreasing by 43.0% compared to the same month in the previous year. The hotel industry also suffered, with a real revenue loss of 50.9% in July 2020.

The industry as a whole experienced a recovery of 18.5% compared to June 2020, but the overall picture for the first seven months of 2020 is less encouraging. Nominal revenue for the period decreased by 34.5% compared to the same period in the previous year. In real terms, the decrease was even more pronounced at 36.4%.

The impact of COVID-19 regulations such as shutdowns, capacity limits, and contact restrictions has been especially harsh on restaurants, hotels, and event-related businesses. These sectors have seen especially high revenue losses compared to the same period the previous year.

Unfortunately, the industry has also had to contend with a decrease in workforce. The number of employees in the North Rhine-Westphalian hospitality industry decreased by 14.3% compared to July 2019.

As the pandemic continues to evolve, the future of North Rhine-Westphalia's hospitality industry remains uncertain. However, the resilience of the sector and its employees remains strong, and many are hopeful for a return to normalcy in the months ahead.