Cape Town - South Africa’s June 2022 tourism statistics, released by Statistics SA, show that the country’s tourist accommodation sector is continuing on its trajectory towards recovery, with income for the tourist accommodation industry increasing by 50.1% compared with last year.
Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said income from accommodation increased by 67.1% year-on-year in June 2022, and this was the result of a 43.1% increase in the number of stay unit nights sold and a 16.7% increase in the average income per stay unit night sold.
He said the largest contributors to the 67.1% year-on-year increase in income from accommodation were hotels and other accommodation, including lodges, bed-and-breakfast establishments, self-catering establishments as well as other unclassified establishments.
Before the release, Absa economist Peter Worthington had predicted that tourist accommodation income was likely to have improved further in June after rising by a combined 8% through April and May, supported by recovering overseas tourist arrivals.
In the Western Cape, Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC Mireille Wenger said that passengers through Cape Town International Airport’s domestic terminal for July showed a recovery rate of 68% when compared with the same month in 2019.
She said the international terminal had recovered to an impressive 87% in July when compared with the same month in 2019.
“It gives me much joy to see indicators showing a sustained tourism recovery. There is clearly demand for travel globally, and to our destination.”
Meanwhile, Wenger announced that voting for the World Travel Awards, which celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the tourism and hospitality sector, closes tomorrow and that Western Cape tourism and hospitality related products were represented in no fewer than 28 categories.
The nominations ranged from hotels, resorts, attractions and convention centres to beach destinations, best festival destination and the best responsible tourism offer.
“I encourage all residents of the Western Cape to make their vote count and help make sure our province continues to receive the global recognition it deserves,” she said.
The World Travel Awards have been running for 29 years, and last year 2.3 million votes were cast.
Voting can be done online at the following address: https://www.worldtravelawards.com/nominees/2022/africa
Last week Cape Town’s Mayco member for economic growth, James Vos, met female tourism business leaders at the Women in Tourism Western Cape Annual General Meeting.
Vos said that with more events, cruise ships, and flights from the US, UK and Europe scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, Cape Town’s tourism and hospitality industries could expect an influx of travellers.
Vos said there were numerous City initiatives aimed at supporting the development of small businesses in the tourism sector.
He said Cape Town Tourism had rolled out a Neighbourhood Experience Development training manual to help guide tourism SMMEs in developing and readying their organisations for the holiday season.
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za