Federal Statistical Office published new statistical data on the German economy

In the year 2008 the number of overnight stays at camping sites in Germany increased by 5% to 22.9 million as compared to the year 2007. At the end of November 2008 the German processing industry employed about 5.4 million people which is 1.8% more than in November 2007. Businesses in the German hotel industry generated 1.1% and 3.6% less turnover in nominal and real figures respectively in November 2008 than in November 2007.

Camping tourism

The number of overnight stays at camping sites in Germany increased by 5% to 22.9 million in the year 2008. The number of overnight stays by foreign tourists grew by 6% to 3.5 million and that of German tourists by 4% to 19.4 million.

However, the manufacturers of campers and caravans could not benefit from this positive development. According to provisional data published by the Federal Statistical Office the number campers produced in Germany fell by 9.8% to 35,500 in the year 2008 as compared to the year 2007 and that of caravans even more by 21.6% to 45,000 units.

Processing industry

At the end of November 2008 businesses of the German processing industry with at least 50 members of staff employed almost 5.4 million people which is about 93,100 people (+1.8%) more than in November 2007. However, in April 2008 the number of employees had still increased by 2.9% (148,800 people). Since April the growth in employment had been continuously decreasing from month to month.

The number of hours worked in November 2008 fell by 3.9% to 700 million as compared to November 2007. Gross salaries and wages amounted to 23.2 billion Euros which was an increase by 1.5% as compared to November 2007.

Looking at the most important branches of industry in Germany, employment grew most in mechanical engineering (+4.8%) and the metal processing industry (+3.0%). Manufacturers of motor vehicles and components thereof and producers of machinery for electricity generation employed 1.9% more people which is as much more as the processing industry as a whole. In the food industry employment grew by 0.6% and fell by 0.1% in the chemical industry.

Hotel and restaurant industry

Turnover generated by the German hotel and restaurant industry fell by 1.1% (nominally) and 3.6% (really) in November 2008 as compared to November 2007. As compared to October 2008 the respective changes had been +0.1% and +0.6% after adjustment for calendar and season.

In the restaurant industry turnover fell by 0.3% (nominally) and 2.8% (really), cantines and caterers generated -1.3% and -3.9% respectively less turnover and in the hotel industry the respective changes were -2.1% and -4.5%.

Taking into account the period from January to November 2008 the hotel and restaurant industry in Germany generated +0.6% in nominal figures and -2.0% in real figures as compared to the same period in 2007. GERMAN

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