IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

The Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), final 2017 and provisional 2018 and 2019 covers updated and new provisional figures for the reference years 2018 and 2019 as well as the final results for 2017. It provides an overview of the role that tourism plays in South Africa and provides information on the contribution of tourism to the South African economy in terms of production, expenditure and employment.

Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) increased from R134 338 million in 2018 to R196 705 million in 2019 (46,4% increase). Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP) increased from R146 158 million in 2018 to R209 151 million in 2019 (43,1% increase). The tourism sector directly employed 773 533 persons in 2019, an increase of 26,4% or 161 796 employees compared with 2018. The tourism share of total employment increased from 2018 (3,7%) to 2019 (4,7%). 

The year 2019 saw 14 797 472 non-resident visitors to South Africa compared with 15 004 384 non-resident visitors in 2018 and 14 975 675 non-resident visitors in 2017. Of the 14 797 472 non-resident visitors in 2019, 4 568 879 (or 30,9%) were same-day visitors and 10 228 593 (or 69,1%) were tourists. 

For tourism consumption (expenditure), the trends in 2019 (compared with 2018) were:

·     Tourism exports (inbound tourism expenditure) increased by 1,2% to R121 512 million compared with a 0,8% decline in the previous period;

·     Tourism imports (outbound tourism expenditure) increased by 1,3% to R84 777 million compared with 3,5% growth in the previous period;

·     Domestic tourism expenditure increased by 71,0% to R329 962 million compared with a 17,9% increase in the previous period; and

·     Internal tourism expenditure increased by 44,2% to R451 474 million compared with a 10,0% increase in the previous period. 

Inbound tourism expenditure totalling R121 512 million was recorded in 2019. The main expenditure items were 'accommodation services for visitors' (17,3%), 'non-specific products' (16,6%), 'connected products' (16,1%) and 'road passenger transportation services' (12,6%). Domestic tourism expenditure totalling R329 962 million (including the domestic portion of outbound tourism expenditure) was recorded in 2019. The main expenditure items were 'non-specific products' (27,1%), 'road passenger transportation services' (14,3%), 'air passenger transportation services' (13,8%) and 'food- and beverage-serving services' (13,5%). The total internal tourism consumption in cash for South Africa in 2019 was R451 474 million (inbound tourism consumption R121 512 million [26,9%] and domestic tourism consumption R329 962 million [73,1%]). The main expenditure items for internal tourism were 'non-specific products' (24,3%), 'road passenger transportation services' (13,8%), 'food- and beverage-serving services' (12,9%) and 'air passenger transportation services' (12,1%).