from DION HENRICK in Cape Town
CAPE TOWN, (CAJ News) – SOUTH Africa’s tourist accommodation industry has grown significantly over the past year, indicating a sector that is steadily recovering from the COVID-19 setbacks.
Figures provided by Statistics South Africa indicate that income from accommodation for the second quarter (April to June) of 2022 increased 56,7 percent from the same period in 2021 to R4,462 billion (US$262,5 million).
This excludes restaurant and bar sales as well as ‘other’ income.
The main contributors to this increase were hotels, with 90,9 percent.
Measured in nominal terms (current prices), total income for the tourist accommodation industry increased by 50,1 percent in June 2022 compared with June 2021.
Income from accommodation increased by 67,1 percent year-on-year in June 2022, the result of a 43,1 percent increase in the number of stay unit nights sold and a 16,7 percent increase in the average income per stay unit night sold.
South Africa is emerging from successive waves of the COVID-19.
It has documented slightly over 4 million cases and above 102 000 deaths, which is the worst outbreak of the pandemic in the continent.
In 2020, South Africa imposed one of the tightest restrictions globally, with the tourism and hospitality sector among the worst hit industries.
All gatherings except for funerals were prohibited.
Restaurants, taverns, bottle stores and all other stores not selling essential goods were to close during the lockdown period.
Movement between provinces and metropolitan and district areas were prohibited.
All borders of the country were closed during the lockdown.
International and domestic passenger flights were prohibited.
– CAJ News