Recent reports from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) on the food and beverages industry and the accommodation sector paint a picture of contrasting fortunes in the country’s hospitality sector.
The Food and Beverages Industry Report 2022 highlights significant growth, with total income reaching R99.0 billion, an 8.2% annual increase from 2018. Restaurants and coffee shops led the charge, contributing an additional R17.2 billion to the sector’s income. Employment in the industry also saw a substantial boost, with 236,527 people employed as of June 2022, marking an increase of 51,864 jobs since 2012.
However, the accommodation industry tells a different story. The Accommodation Industry Report 2022 reveals a 3.9% annual decrease in total income, falling to R46.2 billion from R54.2 billion in 2018. Hotels, motels, and inns were hit hardest, experiencing a R9.0 billion drop in income. The sector also suffered job losses, with employment figures declining by 14,575 since 2012, bringing the total to 83,869.
Interestingly, both industries show shifting trends in their sub-sectors. In the food and beverages industry, caterers and other catering services gained the largest percentage share increase of 3.4 percentage points over the decade. Meanwhile, in the accommodation sector, ‘other accommodation’ saw a significant rise in market share, gaining 12.7 percentage points since 2012.
Gender dynamics in both industries reveal a predominance of female employees. The food and beverages industry reported 57.3% female employment, with takeaway and fast-food outlets boasting the highest proportion at 62.9%. Similarly, the accommodation industry showed 57.5% female employment, with guest-houses and guest-farms leading at 59.3%.
These reports underscore the resilience of the food and beverages industry in the face of economic challenges, while highlighting the struggles faced by the accommodation sector, possibly due to lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism and business travel.
As South Africa’s hospitality sector continues to evolve, these findings provide crucial insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders alike.
StatsSA – Food and Beverages Industry Report 2022
Download addresses –
Key findings – https://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=1856&PPN=Report-64-20-01&SCH=73930
Full publication – https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/Report-64-20-01/Report-64-20-012022.pdf
StatsSA – Accommodation Industry Report 2022
Download addresses –
Key findings – https://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=1856&PPN=Report-64-11-01&SCH=73929
Full publication – https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/Report-64-11-01/Report-64-11-012022.pdf
