The South African tourism accommodation market has almost recovered to pre-Covid levels according to Stats SA. In 2022 the accommodation industry generated R23-billion, a recovery on the previous two years, but still R10-billion less than the R33-billion earned in 2019.

All types of accommodation have seen a good recovery since 2020 led by caravan parks and campsites. Both were back up to almost 90% of 2019 booking levels in 2022. Hotels, self-catering establishments and bed and breakfasts have also started to recover, ahead of guesthouses.

Generally speaking hotels tend to be the most popular type of holiday accommodation with 2 out of 3 holidaymakers opting for a hotel room. Further behind is self-catering accommodation, bed and breakfasts and guesthouses. Camping sites make up the smallest portion.

Peak seasons for holidaymakers are June and December while December is usually the period with higher overall revenue for accommodation providers.