Tourism

11. September 2015

RSA HOTEL PRICES LOW IN COMPARISON TO OTHER AFRICAN HUBS

The survey, produced by hospitality research firm STR Global, ahead of the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) taking place at the end of September, also revealed that Addis Ababa was the most expensive place for a good night’s sleep.

A recent survey comparing prices of international grade hotels in selected major African cities show that Cape Town and Johannesburg are some of the least expensive places to stay in Africa.

The average rate for a hotel room in the first six months of this year in Addis Ababa was about R3 212 (as calculated from $231,78 at R13,86/$) per night, which is more than double what guests would pay in Cape Town (R1 448 per night) and Johannesburg (R967 per night), according to the survey.

Thomas Emanuel, Director of Business Development, STR Global, ascribes the big differences in prices in the various African cities simply as due to supply and demand.

Addis Ababa has a shortage of top quality hotels, Emanuel explains, while Johannesburg, by comparison, is a long-established, sophisticated international city, with a large number of 5-star hotels and a competitive market for accommodation.

Over the past year (from June 2014 to 2015), there have been substantial rate rises in hotel accommodation prices in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

There has been an 11% increase in accommodation prices in Johannesburg and a 10,8% increase for accommodation in Cape Town. While Cairo is also up 10,6%, the report states there has been a recovery in Lagos up 5,8%. Nairobi is broadly the same and Casablanca has suffered a 4% decline.

Cape Town’s improvement is due predominantly to increased demand and no recent increases in supply since the 2010 World Cup.

This might change, however, as Cape Town is set for a number of new developments over the next few years. Traveller24 reported recently that South Africa’s oldest working harbour received the go-ahead from the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to build a luxury cruise terminal at the V&A Waterfront.

TNPA said it had awarded V&A Waterfront the status of preferred bidder for an estimated R179 million investment in an agreement that includes operation, maintenance and transfer of ownership back to TNPA after 20 years.
In Johannesburg too, the inner city, specifically, is rising to the economic forefront of South Africa's tourism with plenty of new developments aimed at improving the visitor experience in the urban city centre.

The AHIF is the pre-eminent gathering of international investors in hotels in Africa. It takes place in Addis Ababa from 30 September to 1 October 2015. – Source: www.news24.com

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