Total income for accommodation industry up 8.1% y/y in July

Total income for SA's tourist accommodation industry rises 8.1% in nominal terms in July 2015 compared with July 2014.

Total income for SA’s tourist accommodation industry (which includes restaurant‚ bar sales and “other” income) rose 8.1% year on year (y/y) in nominal terms (current prices) in July 2015 compared with July 2014‚ Statistics SA’s 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 and the gross domestic product.

Stats SA said that income from accommodation increased by 8.5% y/y in July 2015‚ the result of a 1.4% increase in the number of stay-unit nights sold and a 7% increase in the average income per stay-unit night sold.

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

In July 2015‚ the types of accommodation that recorded the highest year-on-year growth rates in income from accommodation were hotels and “other” accommodation.

Income from accommodation increased by 7.7% in the three months ended July 2015 compared with the three months ended July 2014.