--- title: "Create Professional Layered Column Charts for Accommodation Trends Using .NET MAUI" published_at: "2025-07-16T14:51:00+00:00" modified_at: "2025-07-17T06:40:51+00:00" url: "https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/post/dotnet-maui-layered-column-chart" excerpt: "Discover how to create layered column charts with the .NET MAUI Toolkit to visualize operational challenges in Europe’s accommodation sector. Enhance your data visualization skills with step-by-step techniques and practical examples today!" taxonomy_category: - ".NET MAUI" - ".NET MAUI Toolkit" - "Chart" - "Chart of the week" - "Cross-Platform Development" - "Data Visualization" - "Layered Column Chart" - "Layered Column Charts" - "Travel Industry Trends" taxonomy_post_tag: - ".NET MAUI" - "2024 Travel Data" - "Accommodation Trends" - "Charting Tools" - "Charts" - "Cross-Platform UI" - "Data Visualization" - "Interactive Charts" - "Layered Column Chart" --- [Chart of the week](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/category/chart-of-the-week) # Create Professional Layered Column Charts for Accommodation Trends Using .NET MAUI [Subash Sorimuthupattaraja](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/author/subash-sorimuthupattaraja) ![Create Professional Layered Column Charts for Accommodation Trends Using .NET MAUI](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Create-Professional-Layered-Column-Charts-for-Accommodation-Trends-Using-.NET-MAUI.png) **TL;DR:** Comparing multiple hotel performance metrics across Europe in 2024, such as energy costs and staffing shortages, can quickly become overwhelming. This guide shows you how to create a compact, layered column chart using Syncfusion® .NET MAUI Charts to visualize complex operational challenges clearly and efficiently. Learn step-by-step techniques, explore real-world examples, and gain insights to support the smartest decision-making in the hospitality industry. Welcome to our **Chart of the Week** blog series! **Layered Column Charts** are ideal for comparing multiple metrics within a single category, especially in sectors like travel, hospitality, and operations. What if you could turn complex operational data into a striking visual that instantly reveals regional business challenges? That’s the power of a well-crafted chart. In this blog, we’ll show you how to build a Layered Column Chart using the [Syncfusion® .NET MAUI Toolkit](https://help.syncfusion.com/maui-toolkit/cartesian-charts/overview) to visualize key insights from the 2024 European Accommodation Barometer. You’ll learn how to structure real-world data, layer multiple metrics for comparison, and customize your chart for clarity and impact. Ready to turn data into decisions? Let’s dive in. ## What is a Layered Column Chart? A **Layered Column Chart** is a variation of the traditional column that stacks multiple data series with varying widths, creating an overlapping effect. Unlike side-by-side columns, Layered Column Charts: - Compares multiple metrics (e.g., energy costs, staff shortages) within a single category, such as countries. - Saves horizontal space for a clean, compact design. - Highlights hierarchical data relationships. This layout improves readability and makes it easier to spot patterns, outliers, and relationships between different data points. ## Why use .NET MAUI Toolkit Charts for data visualization? The [Syncfusion® .NET MAUI Toolkit Charts](https://help.syncfusion.com/maui-toolkit/cartesian-charts/getting-started) offer a robust solution for data visualization: - **Cross-platform support**: Build once for iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. - **Interactivity**: Features like tooltips, animations, and toggleable series enhance user engagement. - **Customization**: Flexible styling for axes, legends, and colors. - **Open-source contributions**: Community support for rapid development. ## Data source and context This visualization is grounded in the **2024 European Accommodation Barometer**, a comprehensive survey conducted by ** Statista** in collaboration with Booking.com. The report captures the evolving sentiment and operational challenges faced by hoteliers across Europe during the post-pandemic travel surge. The chart focuses on the top five operational challenges identified in the report: - Energy costs - Cost of staff - Shortage of skilled workers - Potential tax increases - Geopolitical uncertainties Each challenge is visualized as a **layered column**, enabling clear cross-country comparisons and highlighting how different regions are impacted. **Note:** For more insights and methodology, refer to the official report [here](https://www.statista.com/download/MTc1MTI1OTMyMyMjMCMjMTY4MDA0IyMxIyNwZGYjI1N0dWR5IyNzYW1wbGU=) . To visualize how each challenge is layered for clarity and comparison, refer to the following image. ![Visualizing a Layered Column Chart in .NET MAUI Toolkit](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Visualizing-a-layered-column-in-.NET-MAUI-Toolkit.png)Let’s explore how to achieve this step by step using the .NET MAUI Toolkit Charts. ## Step 1: Configure the .NET MAUI Toolkit Follow the [Syncfusion® .NET MAUI Toolkit](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Syncfusion.Maui.Toolkit/) and [documentation](https://help.syncfusion.com/maui-toolkit/installation) to configure the .NET MAUI Toolkit. ## Step 2: Define the DataModel To represent the 2024 European Accommodation Barometer data, create a **DataModel** class, a foundation for binding data to the chart class to organize each country’s operational challenges: - **Energy cost**: Rising utility expenses - **Staff cost**: Increasing labor costs - **Worker shortage**: Difficulty in hiring skilled staff - **Tax**: Anticipated tax burdens - **Geopolitical**: Uncertainty due to global conflicts Here’s the class definition: ``` public class DataModel { public required string Country { get; set; } public double EnergyCost { get; set; } public double StaffCost { get; set; } public double WorkerShortage { get; set; } public double Tax { get; set; } public double Geopolitical { get; set; } } ``` This model organizes metrics like energy costs and staff shortages for easy binding to the chart. ## Step 3: Populate data in the ViewModel In the **ViewModel** class, load the real-world data from the 2024 European Accommodation Barometer as shown in the code example below. ``` public class ViewModel { public ObservableCollection DataSource { get; set; } public ViewModel() { DataSource = new ObservableCollection { new DataModel { Country = "Greece", EnergyCost = 93, StaffCost = 65, WorkerShortage = 55, Tax = 75, Geopolitical = 70 }, . . . new DataModel { Country = "Nordics", EnergyCost = 65, StaffCost = 50, WorkerShortage = 56, Tax = 55, Geopolitical = 59 } }; } } ``` Bind this collection to your chart in XAML using the **BindingContext**. ## Step 4: Configure the Layered Column Chart With the data structured and bound, it’s time to visualize it using a **Layered Column Chart**. The **.NET MAUI Toolkit Charts** offer the flexibility to stack multiple column series with varying widths, creating a compact and insightful layered effect. ### Key configuration - Initialize the [SfCartesianChart](https://help.syncfusion.com/maui-toolkit/cartesian-charts/getting-started) and set [EnableSideBySideSeriesPlacement](https://help.syncfusion.com/cr/maui-toolkit/Syncfusion.Maui.Toolkit.Charts.SfCartesianChart.html#Syncfusion_Maui_Toolkit_Charts_SfCartesianChart_EnableSideBySideSeriesPlacement) to false. By default, column series are placed side by side; this setting allows them to overlap, enabling the layered layout. - Add individual [ColumnSeries](https://help.syncfusion.com/maui-toolkit/cartesian-charts/column) for each operational challenge. Assign progressively smaller width values to each series using the [Width](https://help.syncfusion.com/cr/maui-toolkit/Syncfusion.Maui.Toolkit.Charts.ColumnSeries.html#Syncfusion_Maui_Toolkit_Charts_ColumnSeries_Width) property to create a visual hierarchy, ensuring all layers remain visible and easy to compare. Here’s how the chart is configured in the application: ``` ``` ## Step 5: Customize the chart appearance The .NET MAUI Toolkit Charts offer a wide range of customization options to make the chart functional, visually appealing, and user-friendly. - **Legend**: Initialize [ChartLegend](https://help.syncfusion.com/maui-toolkit/cartesian-charts/legend) and enable [ToggleSeriesVisibility](https://help.syncfusion.com/cr/maui-toolkit/Syncfusion.Maui.Toolkit.Charts.ChartLegend.html#Syncfusion_Maui_Toolkit_Charts_ChartLegend_ToggleSeriesVisibility) to show/hide individual series. - **Axis labels**: Customize chart axis labels for better readability. - **Grid lines**: Apply dashed lines for major grid styling. - **Color palette**: Each [ColumnSeries](https://help.syncfusion.com/cr/maui-toolkit/Syncfusion.Maui.Toolkit.Charts.ColumnSeries.html) is assigned a distinct color to visually separate the categories. These enhancements ensure the chart is both functional and visually appealing. ``` ``` Here’s the final output of the Layered Column Chart, fully customized to visualize the real-world data more effectively. ![Layered Column Chart](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Layered-Column-Chart.png) Professional Layered Column Charts for Accommodation Trends ## GitHub reference For more details, refer to the [GitHub demo.](https://github.com/SyncfusionExamples/Creating-a-Layered-Column-Chart-Using-.NET-MAUI-Toolkit-Charts) ## FAQs **Q1: What is a layered column chart?** A layered column chart is a variation of a column chart where multiple series overlap slightly, allowing comparison of various metrics within the same category. **Q2: Why use layered column charts in .NET MAUI?** They help visualize complex data compactly and clearly, especially when comparing multiple metrics across categories like countries or time periods. **Q3: How do I enable layered columns in Syncfusion® MAUI Charts?** Set **EnableSideBySideSeriesPlacemen** t to false in**SfCartesianChart** and assign different widths to each ** ColumnSeries**. **Q4: What real-world data is used in this example?** The chart visualizes operational challenges from the 2024 European Accommodation Barometer, including energy costs, staffing, and geopolitical risks. ### Conclusion Thanks for reading! In this blog, we explored how to build a **Layered Column Chart** using the [.NET MAUI Toolkit Charts](https://www.syncfusion.com/maui-controls/maui-cartesian-charts) to visualize real-world survey data. This approach is ideal for comparing multiple metrics across categories and works beautifully across platforms. We strongly encourage you to follow the steps outlined and share your feedback in the comments section below. Existing customers can download the new version of Essential Studio® on the [license and downloads page](https://www.syncfusion.com/account/downloads) . If you are not a Syncfusion® customer, try our 30-day [free trial](https://www.syncfusion.com/downloads) to check our incredible features. If you require assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us via our [support forum](https://www.syncfusion.com/forums) , [support portal](https://support.syncfusion.com/) , or [feedback portal](https://www.syncfusion.com/feedback) . We are always eager to help you! Stay tuned for next week’s featured **Chart of the Week**. ## Related Blogs [Easily Build an SIP Calculator Using the Syncfusion® .NET MAUI Toolkit Charts](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/post/investment-calculator-in-maui-toolkit) [Analyze and Track Investment Portfolios with .NET MAUI Toolkit Charts](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/post/portfolio-charts-maui-toolkit) [Stock Market Trends Analysis Using .NET MAUI Toolkit Candle Chart](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/post/analyze-stocks-in-maui-toolkit-chart) [Sleep Pattern Analysis using .NET MAUI Toolkit Range Column Chart](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/post/sleep-patterns-with-net-maui-toolkit)