IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Results: Tourist accommodation for March 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown regulations since 27 March have had an extensive impact on economic activity. Measured in nominal terms (current prices), total income for the tourist accommodation industry decreased by 31,8% in March 2020 compared with March 2019.

Income from accommodation decreased by 41,6% year-on-year in March 2020, the result of a 38,2% decrease in the number of stay unit nights sold and a 5,5% decrease in the average income per stay unit night sold.

In March 2020, all accommodation types recorded large negative year-on-year growth in income from accommodation. The largest negative growth rates were recorded by:

• guest-houses and guest-farms (-55,8%);
• hotels (-42,9%); and
• 'other' accommodation (-36,4%).

The main contributors to the 41,6% year-on-year decrease in income from accommodation in March 2020 were:

• hotels (contributing -28,9 percentage points); and
• 'other' accommodation (contributing -9,7 percentage points).

Income from accommodation decreased by 10,4% in the first quarter of 2020 compared with the first quarter of 2019. The main contributors to this decrease were:

• hotels (-11,8% and contributing -8,0 percentage points); and
• guest-houses and guest-farms (-35,9% and contributing -1,8 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted income from accommodation decreased by 42,8% month-on-month in March 2020. The largest negative month-on-month growth rates were recorded for:

• hotels (-44,6%);
• 'other' accommodation (-40,3%); and
• guest-houses and guest-farms (-38,0%).