Horeca (also HoReCa, HORECA) is an abbreviation used in Europe for the food service industry. The term is a syllabic abbreviation of the words Hotel/Restaurant/Café.
The Dutch Uniforme Voorwaarden Horeca (UVH) is translated into English as Uniform Conditions for the Hotel and Catering Industry. This code covers hotels, bars, restaurants and related businesses in the Netherlands. Koninklijk Horeca Nederland is the Dutch trade association for the hotel and catering industry.
This sector is one of the fastest growing in Europe. In 2004, more than 7.8 million people were employed and the sector generated more than 338 billion turnover. Jobs tend to be temporary, with irregular hours, low pay and few career prospects. There is a high proportion of young people working in the sector.