Fitness-Check 2025 for hotels

The economic situation of Austria’s holiday hotel industry is more stable than many had expected, but significantly more strained than full occupancy levels might suggest. This is shown by the current „Fitness-Check 2025 für Hotels“, jointly prepared by Austrian Hotel and Tourism Bank (OeHT), der Prodinger Tourism Consulting and Kohl > Partner.
Based on data from more than 1,000 establishments, it is considered the largest hotel benchmarking study in the Alpine region.

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Capacity utilization remains solid - earnings under pressure

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Occupancy rates, measured in terms of full occupancy days, remain at a good level in many establishments. A slight improvement can be seen compared to the previous year, particularly in the 3-star and 3-star superior hotel sectors. Growth is lower in the higher categories.

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At the same time, the fitness check clearly shows that occupancy alone is no longer sufficient to ensure economic stability. Operating profit (GOP) remains at a low level in almost all categories when measured against revenue. Only in the 4-star superior and 5-star segments is there a slight improvement in the median.

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Personnel costs as the biggest lever

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The greatest cost pressure continues to come from personnel expenses. Staff costs have increased across all categories. Median personnel costs per full-time equivalent amount to around €45,000 to €48,000, with figures in the upper quartile significantly higher.

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Other cost blocks present a more differentiated picture:
the cost of goods sold has been slightly reduced relative to revenue, and energy costs have stabilized after the sharp fluctuations of previous years - albeit at a higher level than before the energy crisis. Overall, the earnings situation of many businesses remains strained.
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Digitalization as support in everyday life

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In parallel with economic developments, day-to-day operations in many hotels are also changing. Digital solutions are increasingly being used to simplify administrative processes and ease the workload on employees. What matters less is the technology itself than how it is applied: digital tools deliver the greatest benefit when they operate in the background and do not replace personal service.

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Especially in times of skilled labor shortages and rising wage costs, this kind of operational relief is becoming increasingly important - not as a substitute for service quality, but as a prerequisite for maintaining it in the long term.

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Why financial transparency is becoming increasingly important

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The Fitness Check clearly shows how closely interconnected the economic levers have become: personnel costs, cost of goods sold, energy, GOP, and cash flow all influence one another. Those who recognize these interdependencies early can respond in a more targeted way.

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Digital finance and analytics platforms such as profitize address exactly this challenge. By consolidating financial, personnel, and operational data on a single platform, hotels gain a continuous overview of their economic performance. The added value lies less in automation than in providing a stronger basis for decision-making - especially in an environment shaped by volatility and cost pressure.

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A realistic view of the future

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The “Fitness Check 2025” does not indicate an acute crisis, but rather a clear shift in the factors for success. Demand and pricing remain important, but are no longer the sole determinants of economic success. Transparency, efficiency, and conscious use of resources - both human and financial - are increasingly in demand.

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For many companies, the coming years will be characterized less by growth and more by controllable profitability. Those who know their numbers, recognize developments early on, and make targeted use of digital support will gain a decisive advantage.

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