Tourist accommodation income up 7.9% in October

The recovery in SA's tourism sector continued in October, when income for the tourist accommodation industry increased 7.9% from a year earlier.

Income from tourist accommodation has increased every month since the beginning of this year.

Income from accommodation alone (which excludes food, drinks and other services) rose 12.8% from a year earlier, Statistics SA said on Monday, as the number of stay unit nights sold rose 3.7% while the average income from stay unit nights sold increased 8.8%.

SA's tourism sector is putting behind it a torrid year, when it was hit by onerous visa requirements introduced by the Department of Home Affairs (which later relaxed them) and concern about Ebola.

A weaker rand has also helped to make SA a more attractive destination.

SA Tourism last month reported a 15.4% increase in the number of international tourists visiting SA in the six months to June.

Source: BDpro