Pubs losing popularity despite hospitality growth

The hospitality industry showed a slight increase in turnover in the first quarter this year. But despite this, pubs seem to be selling fewer drinks. This is according to figures that Statistics Netherlands published on Friday. In the first quarter of this year the turnover for hotels, restaurants, snack bars and pubs were 0.3 percent higher than in the previous quarter. The overall volume - the number of drinks and overnight stays - increased by 0.2 percent. For hospitality, this is the lowest growth rate in nearly 2 years. Restaurants had the biggest turnover growth with a 1.1 percent increase as well as the biggest growth in volume with 0.7 percent. Pubs' turnover increased by 0.2 percent, but the volume decreased by 0.2 percent. Snack bars, including lunch rooms and ice cream parlors, performed the worst. Their turnover fell by 0.6 percent and their sales by 0.5 percent.