South Africa‘s tourism accommodation sector has continued to grow in May but at a slower pace.
New figures from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) show total income for the tourist accommodation industry rose by 2.5% compared with May in 2025.
Income generated purely from accommodation increased by 2.2%, helped by a slight rise in the number of room nights sold and higher average room rates.
Hotels remained the biggest driver of growth, with accommodation income increasing by 2.8% year-on-year. Other accommodation, including lodges, bed-and-breakfasts and self-catering establishments, also posted solid growth of 3.7%.
However, caravan parks and camping sites continued to struggle, with income plunging 35.1%. Guest houses and guest farms were largely flat, dipping 0.4%.
Looking at the broader trend, accommodation income for the three months, ending May, was 7.5% higher than the same period in 2025, signalling that the tourism sector remains on a recovery path despite softer monthly growth.
The data points to a tourism industry that is still expanding, even as growth moderates, underscoring the sector’s continued role in supporting jobs and the wider economy.
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