March tourist accommodation income up 2.6%

Total income for South Africa's tourist accommodation sector rose 2.6% year-on-year (y/y) in nominal terms (current prices) in March‚ Statistics South Africa's (Stats SA) tourist accommodation survey released showed.

Short-stay accommodation levels were higher in March with income for hotels, guest farms and guest houses rising by 9.9% in the first quarter of the year. Image: 3Dmask Fotolia

The survey is conducted monthly and covers a sample of public and private enterprises involved in the short-stay accommodation sector‚ with the results used to compile estimates of tourism satellite accounts as well as the gross domestic product.

Income from accommodation increased by 5.7% y/y mainly supported by a 0.5% increase in the number of stay-units that were occupied and a 5.1% increase in the average income per stay-unit night sold. Positive contributors to the 5.7% increase in income from accommodation were hotels‚ guest houses and guest farms.

Stats SA describes a stay-unit as any unit of accommodation available to be charged out to guests. Examples include a hotel room or powered site in a caravan park.

The types of accommodation that recorded positive y/y growth rates in income from accommodation were guest houses, guest farms‚ and hotels.

Income from accommodation increased by 9.9% in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year‚ with the main contributors being hotels.