Starting in 2013, employment in the event catering sector in Belgium experienced fluctuations. Following a dip in 2014, the sector rebounded in 2015 and 2016, despite a small drop. The trend remained positive overall until 2019, albeit entering a sharp decline in 2020 due to the pandemic. The sector showed resilience with significant growth in 2021 and 2022. The employment figures in 2023 stood at 5.43 thousand FTEs, marking an 11.66% year-on-year increase. From 2024 onwards, the sector is forecasted to grow steadily, achieving a 1.14% CAGR over five years.

Future trends to watch for:

Post-pandemic recovery and stabilization in the industry.
Potential impacts of economic cycles on consumer spending on events.
Technological advancements in event catering leading to efficiency improvements.
Policy changes affecting immigration and labor markets.