The Latest Hospitality Statistics (Updated March 2024)

The global hospitality industry is worth nearly $4.7 trillion in 2023, with forecasts predicting 23.8% in growth over the next four years.

The industry shows strong signs of recovery after sustaining heavy losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Businesses have needed to adapt to increasing remote work, changing travel patterns and new concerns over health and safety. Struggles to fill positions after cutbacks during the pandemic have left many hospitality businesses understaffed.

Headline Statistics for 2023

• The Travel & Tourism sector contributed 7.6% to global GDP in 2022.
• International visitor spending increased by 81.9% in 2022.
• 22 million new jobs were created in the Travel and Tourism sector in 2022.
• As of 2023, there are roughly 187,000 hotels worldwide.
• As of April 2023, occupancy rates in hotels are at 66%.
• 2023 hotel bookings are up 118% YTD.
• As of March 2023, international tourist arrivals are down 19% compared to 2019.
• Overall air travel demand dropped 65.9% YoY in 2020 and represented the largest decline in air passengers recorded since 1950.
• The hotel and resort sector is worth $1.06 trillion.
• The food service industry was worth $2.52 trillion in 2021 - by 2028, it's expected to be worth $4.43 trillion.

Growth of the Hospitality Industry

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospitality industry was experiencing rapid growth - in 2018, Travel & Tourism added a record $8.8 trillion to the global GDP and generated 319 million new jobs.

• Global hotel inventory grew by nearly 18% between 2008 and 2018.
• Actual air reservations are down 44% YTD and down 43% compared to 2019.
• In 2020, global air passenger revenues dropped by 69% to €159 billion, with net losses totalling €106.5 billion.
• Global business travel will likely fully recover by 2024.
• The hospitality market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% until 2027.
• In 2020, the largest market for hospitality was the Asia-Pacific region - North America was the second-largest region.
• Between 2022 and 2023, the global hospitality market grew in worth from $4.39 trillion to $4.69 trillion, at a CAGR of 7%.
• The global hotel and resort sector market size is expected to reach $1.21 trillion in 2023.
• European hospitality leaders believe the following are the greatest barriers to growth in 2023:
  • Rising costs and inflation - 83%.
  • Skilled labour shortages - 83%.
  • Increased staff costs - 76%.
  • Interest rate rises - 74%.
  • Brexit - 60%.
• The main priorities of European hospitality business leaders are:
  • Managing the pressure of inflation - 85%.
  • Streamlining operations - 69%.
  • Cashflow management - 66%.
  • Hiring and re-staffing - 63%.
  • Health and safety in the workplace - 62%.

What is the hospitality industry?

The hospitality industry sits within the service industry and consists of food and drink services, travel and tourism, lodging and recreation. These sectors are themselves broken up into sections like restaurants, bars, hotels and sports.

How fast is the hospitality industry growing?

The hospitality industry is growing quickly, with a current global market value of around $4.7 trillion. This is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.13% until 2028.

Is hospitality the fastest-growing industry in the world?

Hospitality is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. In 2018, the Travel & Tourism sector grew faster than every other sector except manufacturing, contributing 3.9% more to global GDP than the previous year (manufacturing’s GDP contributions grew 4%).

While the pandemic has impacted revenue, the hospitality industry is still growing. In 2021, the global hospitality industry grew by 5.5%, which slowed to 4.1% in 2022. It’s expected to slow again to 3.2% in 2023 as pent-up demand from the pandemic resolves.

Technology in the Hospitality Industry

Hospitality is built on great customer experiences. Technology helps hospitality businesses provide better services for their guests, whether it’s streamlining payments with contactless support or enabling rapid room service with mobile apps.

• 34% of hotel guests frustrated with their stay said it was because of outdated technology in rooms.
• 59% of hoteliers used in-room technology before the pandemic.
• Over 80% of hoteliers think technology makes them more efficient.
• Around half of hospitality executives see technology that better serves customers as a business priority.
• 84% of hospitality executives in 2020 said they had someone responsible for digital transformation in their business.
• The global smart hospitality market was valued at $18.8 billion in 2021 - this is expected to reach $133.7 billion by 2031.
• 6 in 10 digital orders for restaurants are placed through mobile apps.
• Restaurant digital orders have grown by 23% annually since 2013, and it’s estimated order volume tripled in 2020.
• A study of hoteliers in Asia, North America and Europe revealed that the main reasons to implement technology were:
  • To improve guest experience (24%)
  • Grow profits (18%)
  • Future-proof the organisation (16%)
  • Gain a competitive advantage (15%)
  • Grow topline revenue (11%)

How is technology affecting the hospitality industry?

Technology is affecting the hospitality industry by offering greater efficiency for businesses and greater connection with customers. For instance, 74% of hoteliers use tech-powered surveys, which help them develop better services and glean deeper insights into guest preferences.

Employment in the Hospitality Industry

Hospitality is one of the most productive industries, contributing over 7% to global GDP. The backbone of this industry is its workforce, who work tirelessly to deliver excellent services and customer experiences.

• A new hospitality job becomes available every 2.5 seconds.
• Hotels, catering and tourism (HCT) employs around 3% of the global workforce.
• Roughly half of the workers in HCT are under 25, with up to 70% being women.
• Less than 10% of the industry is unionised.
• 22 million jobs in travel and tourism were created in 2022 - this was 7.9% higher than job creation in 2021, while remaining 11.4% lower than 2019 levels.
• UK Hospitality Workforce: Businesses lost around 355,000 workers during the pandemic.
• UK Vacancies: 64% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
• US Restaurant Employment: 14.9 million people were employed in the restaurant industry in 2022.
• Employment in Australian Restaurants and Cafes: 946,600 people were employed.
• Full-time Workers in Australia: 40% of those employed in restaurants and cafes are full-time workers.

How many people are employed in hospitality worldwide?

320 million people. Around 320 million people are employed in the Travel and Tourism sector in 2023, continuing the growth trend after numbers plummeted in 2020 (from 334 million in 2019 to 271 million).

How many people does the UK hospitality industry employ?

2.53 million people. In March 2020, 2.53 million people were employed in the UK hospitality industry. The number of workers in the industry fell by around 90,000 during the Covid-19 pandemic. In February 2022, there were 166,000 job vacancies in hospitality, representing 7.8% of all UK job vacancies.

How long does it take to clean a hotel room?

Around 30 minutes.

Housekeepers are typically expected to clean 10-20 rooms in an average 8-hour shift. As such, housekeepers only have around 20-30 minutes to clean each room. The type of cleaning will also affect the time taken - cleaning after checkout will take longer than stayover cleaning. Larger rooms (like suites) will also take longer to clean.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equality in the Hospitality Industry

Diversity, inclusion and equality remain key concerns in the hospitality industry, particularly as employment numbers recover towards pre-pandemic levels.

• Hospitality was predicted to create 58 million jobs in 2022.
• 54% of those working in hospitality believe there are equal opportunities for career advancement regardless of race, religion, gender, ability or age.
• 80.9% of hospitality management roles in the US are held by white workers.
• 42% of mixed-race employees feel their race affects their career progression. Only 7% of white employees felt the same.
• More than 50% of people of colour have experienced racism from colleagues or superiors at work.
• 76% of employees believe a diverse workforce is important when considering a job offer.

How important is diversity in the hospitality industry?

Diversity is hugely important in the hospitality industry. For instance, the relationship between gender diversity on executive teams and financial outperformance is strong - businesses in the top quartile for gender-diverse executive teams are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than businesses in the fourth quartile.

In addition, inclusive teams are 35% more productive than non-inclusive teams, with diverse businesses enjoying 2.5 times higher cashflow per employee. Those diverse businesses are more attractive to prospective employees - 76% of employees think diversity in the workforce is important when considering job offers.

Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic locked down economies across the globe. Hospitality suffered as travel was restricted, and citizens were told to stay inside where possible. For instance, the UK’s hospitality sector lost £114.8 billion in lost sales for 2020/21 compared to what was expected.

• Between March 2020 and February 2022, the UK hospitality sector lost 45 full weeks of sales, resulting in a 43% revenue drop.
  • In April 2020, 1.65 million hospitality workers were furloughed, accounting for 25% of all furloughed employees.
  • The pandemic left 400,000 job vacancies in the sector, with 80% of hospitality businesses reporting job roles that needed to be filled.
  • Growth in the sector was down 32.3% in 2021 compared to 2019.
  • By May 2021, consumer spending was still less than 70% of pre-pandemic levels.
• Chinese hotel occupancy rates dropped by up to 68% compared to 2019 figures.
• Booking cancellations in the US threatened 4 million hotel jobs, equating to 50% of all hotel jobs in the US.
• Average occupancy in Italy dropped 96% compared to 2019 figures.
• Globally, as many as 50 million jobs were threatened by the pandemic.
• The global travel and tourism sector employed 330 million people in 2019, generating 1 in every 4 new jobs.
• Global travel was estimated to fall by 25% in 2020, corresponding to a potential reduction in hospitality jobs between 12% and 14%.
• The US hospitality sector lost $155 billion in 2020 due to the collapse of international travel.
• International visitor spending fell 79% in 2020.
• The US hospitality sector lost around $425 million daily in 2020 due to international travel changes.
• Italy lost €36.7 billion in 2020 due to a reduction in tourist numbers - international visitor spending fell by an estimated 82%.

What is the impact of Covid-19 on hospitality?

Covid-19 has had a huge impact on hospitality. Below are just a few of the impacts the pandemic has had on the global hospitality sector:

• Financial Losses: The most obvious impact is the financial losses suffered by economies across the globe. Revenues in the UK hospitality sector dropped 43%. In the US, fewer tourists meant the economy lost $450 million a week in 2020.
• Changes in Operations: Reopening businesses had to adapt to new safety and sanitation protocols. These included enhanced cleaning procedures, social distancing measures, contactless services, and adjustments to food service. While the sector has largely returned to normal, some of these practices continue.
• Adoption of Technology: One of the few positives of the pandemic, industries across the business world saw a massive increase in technology adoption. In hospitality, this included online booking systems, mobile check-in and check-out, digital menus, and virtual tours.

🇬🇧UK Hospitality Statistics

UK Hospitality Growth

The UK is a service-based economy, with the service industries accounting for 79% of total economic output and 82% of employment.

Hospitality helped kickstart the UK’s economic recovery after the 2008 financial crisis and enjoyed steady growth until the pandemic.

• In 2019, the economic output of the UK’s hospitality industry was £59.3 billion.
• The 2019 hospitality industry performance was around 3% of the total economic output in the UK that year.
• Tourists spent over £28 billion in the UK in 2019.
• 81% of 342,000 job losses suffered between February 2020 and May 2021 were in the accommodation and food services sector.
• Restaurant insolvencies jumped 64% in 2022.
• The UK restaurant market was projected to grow 59% in 2022, recovering 94% of its pre-Covid value.
• There were 103,682 licensed premises in the UK as of September 2022.
• 11% of UK hospitality roles are currently vacant.
• In April 2023, the UK service sector outperformed manufacturing to the greatest degree since 2009.
• Sales in Tourism and Recreation declined for the second month running in April 2023.
• 57% of businesses in Tourism and Recreation saw an uplift in monthly costs in April 2023.

How big is the hospitality industry in the UK?

The hospitality industry is huge in the UK, employing more than 2.5 million people and contributing between 2-3% of the UK’s total economic output.

What is the average spend in UK restaurants?

Diners spend an average of £25.14 per visit to independent restaurants, while spending an average of £21.59 in branded restaurants.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equality in the UK Hospitality Industry

The UK’s hospitality industry has higher proportions of workers who are younger, foreign-born, working part-time or from ethnic minority backgrounds than other industries.

• Average pay increases reached 9% over the last 12 months.
• 19% of UK hospitality workers left businesses between June and September 2022.
• Between 2020-2021, UK hospitality lost 90,000 workers - 3.6% of the total workforce.
• 35% of hospitality workers are aged 24 or under.
• 35% of hospitality workers are aged 24 or under.
• Workers from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Background (BAME) made up 17% of the hospitality workforce in 2019.
• A further 14% were from an ‘Other White’ background - a White background that is not ‘White British’.
• 8% of workers from BAME backgrounds are employed in hospitality.
• The hospitality and tourism sector has a skill deficit of 7% - higher than the UK average (4%).

What percentage of the UK works in hospitality?

Around 8% of the UK workforce is employed in the hospitality and tourism sector.

Is there a shortage of hospitality workers in the UK?

There is a shortage of hospitality workers in the UK. 11% of UK hospitality jobs are currently vacant.

🇺🇸US Hospitality Statistics

US Hospitality Growth

• US travel spending is expected to hit $1.16 trillion in 2023.
• By 2025, US travel spending is predicted to reach $1.26 trillion.
• Travel spending in the US dropped 42% overall in 2020 - international travel spending fell 78.9%.
• The US will welcome around 52 million international visitors in 2023.
• As of March 2023, international tourist arrivals into North America are down 11% compared to 2019.
• Travel & Tourism contributed $1.6 trillion to US GDP in 2018.
• Hotel bookings are up 136% in North America compared to 2019 levels.
• As of April 2023, the hotel occupancy rate in North America is 64%.
• US hotel Gross Operating Profit Per Available Room (GOPPAR) fell by 2.6% between April and May 2022. The GOPPAR in May 2023 was $83.86.
• US total labour costs per available room (LPAR) rose by 13.6% in May 2023 to $72.82.
• As of June 2023, Leisure and Hospitality in the US employs more than 16.5 million people.
• In 2019, there were around 55,000 hotels in the US.
• Hotels generated an estimated $43.8 billion in local and state tax revenues in 2022 - a 6.6% increase compared to 2019.
• Revenue from hotel rooms was estimated at $188 billion in 2022.
• In 2022, 47% of people travelling for business extended their stay for leisure.
• Leisure and travel revenues for 2022 were expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels by 14%.
• Meetings and events activities recovered to 73.1% of 2019 levels and are predicted to reach 106.4% by the end of 2023.
• 79% of US hotels reported staffing shortages in January 2023 - 22% indicated the issue was ‘severe’.
• Inflation for hospitality-related products is expected to be more than 5%, potentially rising above 10%, through 2023.
• The inflation rate for hospitality products is more than double the historical average.
• US hotels are expected to reach 1.30 billion occupied room nights in 2023 - 56.9% more than 2020 (831.64 million).

How many Americans work in hospitality?

16.5 million.

As of June 2023, the hospitality industry in the US employs 16.5 million people. Leisure and hospitality accounted for around 232,000 new hires in June 2023, nearly half of all private sector new hires that month (497,000).

How big is the hospitality industry in the US?

The hospitality industry in the US was valued at $4.1 trillion in 2022. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.13% until 2028, with a projected worth of $9.95 trillion.

🇮🇳India Hospitality Statistics

India Hospitality Growth

The travel & tourism sector is a massive contributor to India’s GDP, making the hospitality industry crucial for the economy. In 2019, India ranked 10th out of 185 countries for travel & tourism’s contribution to GDP in 2019.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused huge disruption to India’s domestic hospitality industry, resulting in a 65% decline in 2021. The industry is recovering, with 2022 hotel revenues higher than 2019 figures.

• Travel & tourism contributed $178 billion to India’s GDP in 2021.
• By 2028, travel & tourism’s impact on GDP is expected to reach $512 billion.
• Travel & tourism accounted for 5.9% of total investment in India in 2018.
• Hospitality accounts for 7.5% of India’s GDP.
• In May 2020, India’s hotels experienced a 77% drop in occupancy when compared to the same point in 2019.
• Indian hotel revenues are expected to reach $7.66 billion in 2023.
• The consumption value of food and drink in India was over 2 trillion rupees in 2020 ($24.39 billion).
• The restaurant industry directly or indirectly employs 45% of Goa’s population.
• 50% of tourism revenue in Goa is spent on food and beverages.
• The pan-Indian hotel occupancy rate was estimated at 40-42% in 2022.
• The restaurant industry is growing at a rate of 7% per year.
• By 2047, a proposed Tourism Policy aims to generate $400 billion in foreign exchange earnings from tourism.
• An estimated 12000 rooms will be added to the hotel sector in 2023.
• By 2028, the government predicts that the Tourism & Hospitality sector will earn $50.9 billion in visitor exports.
• India ranked 54th out of 117 countries for Travel & Tourism development - a drop of 8 places compared to 2019.

What is the growth rate of hospitality in India?

The growth rate of hospitality in India is positive, with hotel sector revenue expected to show an 8.29% CAGR from 2023 to 2027. The market volume of the Indian hotel sector is projected to reach $10.53 billion by 2027.

Is the hospitality industry growing in India?

• The hospitality industry is growing in India. According to a draft Tourism Policy, the Indian government aims to drive $400 billion in foreign exchange from tourism.
• The industry currently accounts for 7.5% of India’s GDP. Overall GDP in India is expected to grow by 8.59% in 2023 - the hospitality industry will play an essential role in driving this growth.
• 39 million tourism jobs were created in India in 2020, accounting for 8% of the total workforce.
• The Ministry of Tourism has a budget of $2.1 billion for the financial year 2023-24.
• The Indian government wants to create 220 new airports by 2025.
• The highest numbers of foreign tourists visiting India in August 2022 were from Bangladesh, the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada.

Sources:

World Travel and Tourism Council, STR, UNWTO, Forbes, Statista, Lloyds Bank, IATA, SchengenVisaInfo.com, Sommet Education, US Travel Association, Alice, UK Government, CNBC, Market Data Forecast, The World Bank, Mordor Intelligence, stayntouch, Hotel Operations, The Caterer, Lumina Intelligence, Food Service Equipment Journal, National Restaurant Association of India, Hospitality World by The Economic Times, Smergers, Bureau of Labor, HCareers, harri, McKinsey, Research and Markets, Resolution Foundation, Allied Market Research, The Drinks Business, World Economic Forum, STR, NPD Group, India Brand Equity Foundation, Deloitte, American Hotel & Lodging Association, The Business Research Company, Hotels News Resource, ResDiary, Brandon Gaille, International Labour Organization, ADP