THE food and accommodation sectors are shaking off expectations they would plateau after a few months post-COVID restrictions, with strong growth continuing for Tamworth businesses.
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New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that, not only did turnover increase from April 2021 to April 2022 by 11 per cent, but it grew 7.6 per cent from March to April this year.
Manager at Best Western Sanctuary Inn - which also boasts restaurant Riviera Bar & Grill - Evelyn Page said she personally isn't surprise the surge is continuing, with two years of pent-up travel energy playing a part.
"I think a lot of people want to stay more so now in regional Australia than go overseas, they're still a bit reluctant with everything that happened around COVID," she said.
"Everyone is over doing Zoom and everything like that now so all the reps are coming again, actually seeing people instead of doing it over the phone, or via video screen.
"We always ran a pretty busy restaurant but certainly after COVID we returned back to normal, but we probably do more double-sittings on Friday and Saturday at the moment."
The steady increase was backed by the head of the business indicators branch for the ABS, Branko Vitas, who said people have clearly been enjoying their freedoms again.
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"Turnover for accommodation and food services continued to recover in April, rising for the third consecutive month," he said.
"April saw the continued easing of COVID-19 restrictions and more people travelling, dining out and holding family gatherings over the holiday period."
However, he did say the rising cost of living could pose a threat moving forward.
"I don't think there's really an end in sight, but it depends with what's going to happen with interest rates and how everyone's going to cope with everything that's going to happen with Labor in charge now," he said.
"So that's a hard one to predict."
Meanwhile, in the construction game, turnover remains high but has dropped by .6 per cent in 12 months and 8.9 per cent from March to April this year.
That downturn isn't a reflection of demand however, with supply chain shortages holding up progress for construction companies and other manufacturers throughout Australia and beyond.
One sector that didn't suffer too badly from the supply shortage was mining, which enjoyed an increase of more than 40 per cent over the space of 12 months.
That led the way in terms of increases, with transport, postal and warehousing (32.6 per cent) and information media and telecommunications (19.1 per cent) also having good years.
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