Tourism in EU increases, but pre-COVID-19 levels remains far off

Brussels – 9.9 million people employed and a turnover of about 446 billion euros: These are the catering and accommodation market figures in 2021 across the European Union. The report was made by Eurostat, the European statistical office, which calculated that the profits generated by the sector were 203.6 billion.

Numbers are growing within the entire EU, averaging +39.1 per cent, but impacting this figure, as Eurostat points out, is the recovery from forced closures due to COVID-19. Figures could be higher given that some areas in the 27 member states experienced lockdowns even in 2021, partial or total, causing a slowdown in the sector. Pre-pandemic levels remain far off: still missing 10 per cent of employment and 20 per cent of profit.

Greece, for which the catering and accommodation sector is worth 6.5 per cent of GDP and employs 19.6 pct of its workforce, is leading the ranking in terms of turnover and employment based on population. Cyprus and Croatia are next in this ranking. Last is Slovakia, which registers only 0.8 per cent of total gross domestic product against 3.3 per cent of employees. In Italy, 13 per cent of workers are engaged in the sector, which has an impact on GDP of about 3 per cent.

Eurostat points out that the catering and accommodation sector is closely linked to tourism activities. Therefore, a general worsening of economic conditions and the resulting slowdown in tourism negatively affect the industry. Another negative aspect concerns the low labour productivity within the sector: only €23,650 per employee.