Turnover in the accommodation and food service activities
What does the indicator describe?
This is an indicator measuring the turnover in the accommodation and food service activities in Germany in the form of nominal and real (price-adjusted) index numbers and their rates of change, but not as absolute (monetary) turnover figures. The indicator thus desribes only the development of turnover, rather than its level. Results are shown both for the total accommodation and food service activities and for the individual economic branches according to the national Classification of Economic Activities, edition 2008 (WZ 08). As the turnover in the accommodation and food service activities is subject to strong seasonal fluctuations, index numbers adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects are released, too.
How is the indicator calculated?
The statistics of the accommodation and food service activities is a sample statistics. About 10,000 of a total of some 257,000 businesses of the accommodation and food service activities in Germany report their monthly turnover to the statistical offices of the Länder, while about 100 big enterprises transmit their data directly to the Federal Statistical Office. The Land results and those of the big enterprises are combined at the Federal Statistical Office to form the federal result. The (monthly) turnover reported is put in relation to a base value (currently base 2005 = 100). The base value is the arithmetic mean of the 12 monthly turnover results of the base year. The index number for the nominal turnover is calculated as (monthly turnover / base value) x 100.
Deflating the turnover of the individual branches of the accommodation and food service activities by the relevant price index and putting it then in relation to the price-adjusted base value produces an index number for the turnover in real terms. The data are adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects by means of the Berlin method 4.1 (BV 4.1), as it is called. Comparing an index number with the index number of the relevant month of the preceding year produces the rate of change.
Such calculations are made for all branches of the hotel and restaurant industry and their superordinate levels of classification (Classification of economic activities (NACE), 4, 3 and 2-digit headings). Index numbers are calculated not only for months but also for quarters, six-month periods and years as well as for the part of the year that has just elapsed.
In the past, a new sample was drawn about every ten years from the population of all businesses of the accommodation and food service activities in Germany. Plans have however been made to change that interval to six years. In the interim, the basic sample will be updated by means of samples of new units.
When is the indicator released?
All publications on the turnover of the accommodation and food service activities are released on a monthly basis. Data in a detailed breakdown by economic activities are released on the internet about 46 days after the end of the reference month. At the same time, detailed results are available in the Genesis-Online database and the Publication Service. The press releases are available on the web site of the Federal Statistical Office.
How accurate is the indicator?
The monthly statistics of the accommodation and food service activities involves some degree of uncertainty, as does any sample statistics. However, larger inaccuracies occur in the first release of the results, which is due to the following reasons:
Not all businesses obliged to provide information do so within the deadlines specified. The turnover of such businesses has to be estimated. The estimates are replaced later by the original data reported.
Though keeping the deadlines, some businesses provide data that have provisionally been estimated by themselves. Such data are corrected later.
Consequently, backward corrections have to be performed. Corrections may be performed up to 24 months back.
Further Information
Hotel and restaurant industry
Phone: +49 611 75 2423
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