Tourism stakeholders have voiced concerns about flagging five-star hotel occupancies in KwaZulu-Natal and Sandton, which have compounded the issues faced by the same regions in the three- and four- star segments.
BDOs Tourism Trends Report highlights that average room occupancy ARO at five-star hotels in KwaZulu-Natal plummeted to 46 in the first seven months of 2025 from 61 in 2024 and 67 in pre-COVID 2019. In Sandton, occupancies fell to 57 from 65 in 2024 and 62 in 2019.
In comparison with 2019 data, average room rate ARR at Sandton properties was down by 20 in real terms to R1 468 US84 and down by 1 in KwaZulu-Natal to R1 930 US111.