The number of stay unit nights sold in October 2009 decreased by 10% to 1.680 million compared with October 2008, data from Statistics SA showed on Monday.

A stay unit is the unit of accommodation available to be charged out to guests, for example a powered site in a caravan park or a room in a hotel. Stay unit nights sold refers to the total number of stay units occupied on each night during the survey period.

A stay unit night sold refers to the number of stay units occupied on each night during the survey period.

The number of stay unit nights sold for the three months ended October 2009 decreased 8.9% compared with the three months ended October 2008.

According to the data, total income for the accommodation industry for the three months ended October 2009 decreased by 11.3% compared with the three months ended October 2008. Total income for the accommodation industry in October 2009 decreased by 11.2% compared with October 2008.

Income from accommodation for the three months ended October 2009 decreased by 9.7% compared with the three months ended October 2008.

This decrease was mainly due to the decrease of 8.9% in stay unit nights sold during the same period, said Stats SA. Income from accommodation in October 2009 decreased by 9.2% compared with October 2008.

Source: I-Net Bridge