Tourism in north Germany bouncing back

21 June 2023

Business better than in spring 2022, according to economic climate index of the North Chamber of Industry and Commerce

The tourist sector in north Germany is more positive about the present economic situation and prospects for the future, a survey by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce North has found. The economic climate index in the hospitality industry rose from 84.3 points in autumn 2022 to 111.9 points out of a maximum of 200 points. The situation is similar for tour operators and travel agencies with the index climbing from 84.2 to 132.6 points. Around 900 businesses in the hospitality sector and travel industry in five north German states were interviewed for the survey in April and May.

Higher labour costs, price increases and staff shortages

"The mood in the tourism industry in the north has improved significantly. Consumer concerns about higher energy costs have eased and is having a positive effect on travel demand," said Klaus-Jürgen Strupp, Chairman of the Northern Chamber of Commerce and President of the Rostock Chamber of Commerce. However, rising costs and labour shortages are still causing problems. "Concerns about increased labour costs in the hospitality sector have overtaken concerns about staff shortages," he added. Increased energy, food and commodity prices, higher labour costs and lack of skilled workers are among the biggest risks cited by companies in both the hospitality and travel industries,

Travel sector and hospitality industry more positive about future

Just under a third (32.6 per cent) of the businesses in the hospitality sector rated the current business situation as good, more than half (54.8 per cent) as satisfactory and 12.6 per cent as poor. The mood in the industry has deteriorated somewhat compared to autumn 2022, but has improved compared to last spring. The outlook for the future is more positive with 27.4 per cent of businesses expecting a better season, 23 per cent a worse one. More than half of the travel companies surveyed rated the current business situation as good, 40.7 per cent as satisfactory and were more positive about the future. Around. 37.9 per cent of those interviewed expect the situation to improve in the coming season while only 12.9 per cent expect the situation to worsen.
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