By David Masango, tel: (012) 314-2230

Results of the new Survey of Tourist Accommodation reveal that the average monthly total income in the tourist accommodation industry between September 2004 and January 2005 was  R963.9 million.

It also showed that most of the income was derived from accommodation (R 639.6 million or 66,4%), followed by income from restaurant and bar sales (R 240,8 million or 25,0%) and 'other income' (R 83,4 million or 8,6%).

Statistics SA released the new tourism accommodation figures in Pretoria today.

"The survey also reveals that an average monthly total of 99 600 stay units - such as a hotel room or powered site in a caravan park -  was available in the South African accommodation industry during that period," said Statistics South Africa's Itani Magwaba.

The largest contributor in this regard was hotels (47 000 or 47.2%), followed by 'other accommodation' such as bed and breakfast enterprises and lodges (33 800 or 34,0%), caravan parks and camping sites (10 600 or 10,6%) and guest-houses and guest-farms (8 200 or 8,2%).

Mr Magwaba said the new survey was aimed at increasing the scope and coverage of South African Tourism and enterprises surveyed.. 

He said the results were also used to compile estimates of the Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) - which is in the process of being developed - and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its components, which were used to develop and monitor government policy.

The tourism satellite accounts are used to study tourism-related industries and products.

"These statistics are also used in the analysis of comparative business and industry performance," explained Magwaba.

The survey was based on a new sample  of approximately 800 enterprises that was drawn in July 2004 from the StatsSA business register and was conducted by mail, fax and telephone.

It covered enterprises that are registered for income tax (IT) and are primarily involved in providing short-stay commercial accommodation such as hotels, caravan parks and camping sites, guest-houses and guest-farms as well as other accommodation.

The new release is not comparable to the discontinued release - the Hotels' Trading Statistics - the survey of which was conducted using a list of all hotels graded by the then South African Tourism Board (Satour) when the grading of hotels was still compulsory by law. - BuaNews