Total income for South Africa’s tourist accommodation industry rose 2.6% year on year (y/y) in nominal terms (current prices) in March 2014‚ Statistics South Africa’s (Stats SA) tourist accommodation survey released on Monday showed.
The survey is conducted monthly and covers a sample of public and private enterprises involved in the short-stay accommodation industry‚ 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 and guest farms‚ and hotels.
Income from accommodation increased by 9.9% in the first quarter of 2014 compared with the first quarter of 2013‚ with the main contributors being hotels.