Turnover in restaurants and hotels increased by 47% year-on-year in 2022 in real terms, as the sector benefited from the easing of pandemic restrictions, the office said.

Despite the strong increase, real turnover of accommodation and food services was still below pre-pandemic levels in 2022. According to the first estimate of the statistics office, turnover was just over 11% lower than in 2019.

In nominal terms, turnover in the sector went up 57% year-on-year in 2022.

The difference between the results in real and nominal terms reflects the high price increases for food and energy, Destatis said.

(Reporting by Maria Martinez, editing by Rachel More)