According to preliminary results published by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday, sales in the hospitality sector fell in May 2026 compared to April. When adjusted for season and calendar effects, real sales dropped by 2.0%, while nominal sales decreased by 2.1%. Furthermore, when compared to May of the previous year (May 2025), the sector recorded a real decline of 6.0% and a nominal decline of 0.3%.
For context, in April 2026, the hospitality industry saw a slight rebound compared to March, registering a real increase of 0.5% (versus a preliminary figure of 0.0%) and an increase of 1.0% in nominal terms (versus a preliminary figure of 0.4%).
Sector-specific data shows contrasting trends. Hotels and other accommodation providers experienced a real sales decline of 0.9% and a nominal decline of 1.4% in May compared to April. Against May 2025, however, this segment saw a real reduction of 2.8% and a nominal reduction of 1.0%.
Meanwhile, the gastronomy segment (restaurants) saw a steeper drop month-over-month, with real sales falling by 1.9% and nominal sales dropping by 1.8% compared to April. In comparison to May 2025, gastronomy’s real revenue shrank substantially by 7.1%, even as nominal revenue increased by 0.7%.
