Tourism sector sees spending surge amid seasonal visitor decline

DESPITE a decline in the number of international tourists visiting South Africa in February, recent reveals an encouraging trend in the tourism industry’s recovery.

- NICOLA MAWSON

A month-on-month rate of growth in travellers between January and February fell, which is not surprising given that January falls outside peak seasons. Yet, the same South African visitors were solid.

Statistics South Africa’s most recent figures show that, when measured in current prices, income for the tourist accommodation industry increased by 16.6% in January 2024 compared with January 2023. This, it said, was due to a 4.5% increase in the number of nights each person stayed, and an 11.7% increase in the average income per stay unit night sold.

Hotels saw the biggest increase, the print revealed.

In addition, accommodation income also increased in the three months to January this year when compared to the same period a year ago.

Blessings Ndlovu, a data leader, showed a high single-digit rate of an increase in international tourists motivating a movement towards pre-Covid-19 rates. This is despite still being marred by elections across the globe, which would have resulted in travellers being less confident about holidaying abroad, he said.

When compared to last February, international arrivals gained 7.5%, even though this was a 21.8% month-on-month decline.