Accommodation Statistics

Highlights

2014-2016
1. INTRODUCTION

This report provides a summary of the key accommodation statistics in Botswana

over the period 2014 to 2016. It includes data by month, region and main towns
covering:

• Room Occupancy Rate

• Bed Occupancy Rate
• Average Length of Stay (for residents, non-residents and all)
• Average Guests per Room

In addition, the report provides top-level data on employment in the accommodation

sector, including wages and salaries, and revenues.

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2. OCCUPANCY BY MONTH

Overall, room and bed occupancy rates increased in 2016, having dropped slightly in
2015. In 2016 the average room occupancy rate in Botswana across all types of
accommodation was 48.3%, with a bed occupancy rate of 32.2%.

Year Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/

Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
2014 45.1 30.8 2.1 2.3 2.2 1.2
2015 43.7 29.1 2.0 2.4 2.2 1.2
2016 48.3 32.2 1.7 2.8 2.3 1.9

60.0 Occupancy Rates 2014-2016

48.3
50.0 45.1 43.7

40.0
Percent (%)

30.8 32.2
29.1
30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
2014 2015 2016

Room Occupancy Rate Bed Occupancy Rate

The average length of stay of guests at accommodation establishments has

remained almost constant over the period 2014 to 2016 at around 2.2 to 2.3 nights.
Non-residents tend to stay longer than residents of Botswana, on average by around
one night (in 2016, 2.8 nights compared to 1.7 nights).

3.0 Average Length of Stay 2014-2016 2.8

2.5 2.3 2.4

2.3
2.2 2.2
2.1 2.0
2.0
1.7
Nights

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
2014 2015 2016

Residents Non-Res All

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Data for all three years, by month, are shown in the three tables below.

Occupancy Statistics by Month 2014

Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
January 34.0 23.3 2.1 2.2 2.1 1.2
February 39.6 27.6 2.0 2.6 2.2 1.2
March 44.2 27.7 1.9 2.1 2.0 1.1
April 42.3 32.2 2.2 2.4 2.3 1.4
May 55.0 38.9 2.9 2.4 2.7 1.3
June 49.6 34.8 2.2 2.3 2.3 1.3
July 47.7 34.4 1.9 2.3 2.2 1.3
August 51.3 31.2 2.0 2.7 2.2 1.1
September 41.6 31.7 2.0 2.5 2.2 1.3
October 50.3 30.1 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.1
November 50.1 30.6 2.1 2.5 2.2 1.1
December 37.6 25.2 1.8 2.2 2.0 1.2
Total 45.1 30.8 2.1 2.3 2.2 1.2

Occupancy Statistics by Month 2015

Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
January 36.8 20.2 2.4 2.6 2.5 1.0
February 43.0 24.4 2.2 2.7 2.4 1.1
March 42.4 28.2 2.0 2.5 2.2 1.2
April 38.4 27.3 2.1 2.7 2.4 1.3
May 49.7 33.5 2.4 2.1 2.3 1.2
June 41.3 27.8 2.0 2.2 2.1 1.3
July 42.9 28.7 1.9 2.1 2.0 1.2
August 47.9 33.9 2.0 2.3 2.2 1.3
September 45.7 30.6 1.9 2.3 2.1 1.2
October 49.1 31.8 1.8 2.5 2.1 1.2
November 43.3 30.4 2.0 2.3 2.2 1.3
December 44.4 30.8 2.0 2.4 2.2 1.3
Total 43.7 29.1 2.0 2.4 2.2 1.2

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Occupancy Statistics by Month 2016
Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
January 40.6 28.1 1.3 3.3 2.4 2.1
February 47.4 23.3 1.6 1.9 1.7 1.4
March 46.8 49.7 1.8 5.2 3.9 3.3
April 42.4 25.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.6
May 54.9 38.1 1.2 3.2 2.2 2.4
June 45.6 34.7 1.9 3.3 2.8 2.3
July 47.3 26.3 1.5 2.2 1.9 1.5
August 52.9 23.9 1.8 2.0 2.0 1.6
September 50.5 47.8 1.5 3.9 2.8 2.6
October 54.2 31.7 1.8 2.6 2.3 2.0
November 47.8 29.5 1.9 2.7 2.3 1.5
December 49.0 34.1 1.9 2.7 2.4 1.8
Total 48.3 32.2 1.7 2.8 2.3 1.9

The chart below shows the room occupancy rate across each year, and clearly
shows a seasonality pattern that is most notable in 2015 and 2016, although some of
the peaks in demand, such as in May, are also evident in the 2014 data.

60.0 Room Occupancy Rate by Month 2014-2016

50.0

40.0
Percent (%)

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2014 2015 2016

Averaging the data for 2014, 2015 and 2016 provides a large robust sample that can
be used to show traditional seasonality patterns for accommodation in Botswana.
This is shown overleaf, and indicates that there is highest demand in May, with a
gradual increasing in demand over the period July to October, before dropping off in
November to January.

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 60.0 Average Room Occupancy Rate by Month (2014-2016)

50.0
47.8
44.0 44.4
42.6
40.6 41.5 40.6
40.0 39.3 39.0 39.5
37.7
Percent (%)

33.6
30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Undertaking the same type of analysis on length of stay for all guests shows
considerable fluctuations over the year, but with guests staying the longest in March,
May, June and September.

3.0 Average Length of Stay by Month (2014-2016)

2.7

2.5
2.4 2.4 2.4
2.3
2.2
2.1 2.1 2.2
2.1 2.1
2.0 2.0
Percent (%)

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

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3. OCCUPANCY BY REGION

Room occupancy rate by region is the highest in the Southern and South East
regions, followed by the North East, Central and Chobe regions. It must be noted
that a high occupancy rate does not indicate a region has the largest number of
guests, it is merely a measure of how demand matches supply. It could be argued
that those regions with the highest occupancy rates are the ones that potentially
require additional capacity (more rooms).

70.0 Room Occupancy Rate by Region 2014-2016

60.0

50.0
Percent (%)

40.0

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
Central Chobe Ghanzi Kgalagadi Kgatleng Kweneng Ngamiland North East South East Southern

2014 2015 2016

Averaging the data for 2014 to 2016 provides a clearer picture of room occupancy
rates in each region.

60.0 Average Room Occupancy Rate by Region (2014-2016)

55.8
52.7

50.0 48.1 48.3

46.4

40.0 37.2
Percent (%)

30.0 27.4 28.2 28.2

22.6

20.0

10.0

0.0
Central Chobe Ghanzi Kgalagadi Kgatleng Kweneng Ngamiland North East South East Southern

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Data for all three years, by region, are shown in the three tables below.

Occupancy Statistics by Region 2014

Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
Central 43.7 31.9 1.7 3.7 2.1 1.2
Chobe 38.2 32.0 2.9 1.8 2.0 1.7
Ghanzi 36.5 22.7 2.0 1.4 1.7 1.2
Kgalagadi 32.2 22.3 1.9 1.4 1.8 1.0
Kgatleng 23.8 33.5 2.8 2.5 2.8 2.0
Kweneng 32.1 17.7 1.3 1.5 1.3 1.0
Ngamiland 40.6 30.0 2.0 2.1 2.1 1.5
North East 38.3 24.4 1.8 3.0 2.0 1.2
South East 52.0 35.1 2.3 2.9 2.6 1.1
Southern 61.6 31.6 1.6 3.7 2.2 1.0
Total 45.1 30.8 2.1 2.3 2.2 1.2

Occupancy Statistics by Region 2015

Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
Central 47.8 29.6 1.7 2.7 1.9 1.1
Chobe 48.0 35.8 2.6 2.1 2.2 1.5
Ghanzi 21.7 17.9 1.7 1.3 1.5 1.6
Kgalagadi 24.9 18.7 1.9 2.1 2.0 1.2
Kgatleng 20.9 13.0 1.3 2.5 1.4 1.1
Kweneng 24.9 15.3 1.5 1.8 1.6 1.2
Ngamiland 33.7 25.5 2.1 2.3 2.3 1.6
North East 50.6 38.0 2.1 2.5 2.2 1.2
South East 50.5 31.2 2.2 2.7 2.4 1.1
Southern 50.3 28.0 1.8 3.1 2.0 1.0
Total 43.7 29.1 2.0 2.4 2.2 1.2

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Occupancy Statistics by Region 2016
Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
Central 52.7 22.4 1.7 1.9 1.8 1.5
Chobe 53.0 20.4 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.4
Ghanzi 24.0 19.4 1.5 2.2 1.8 1.5
Kgalagadi 27.5 28.4 2.2 2.3 2.3 1.3
Kgatleng 23.1 29.2 2.1 1.5 1.7 1.3
Kweneng 27.5 34.0 1.6 2.0 1.9 1.7
Ngamiland 37.2 20.6 1.8 2.1 2.0 1.5
North East 55.9 19.9 1.8 2.3 2.1 1.6
South East 55.7 62.7 1.5 4.0 2.9 2.9
Southern 55.5 40.0 1.5 2.0 1.8 1.6
Total 48.3 32.2 1.7 2.8 2.3 1.9

Analysis of average length of stay by region (using average data for the period 2014
to 2016) shows that establishments in the South East experience guests staying the
longest (2.6 nights), with those in Kweneng staying the shortest period (1.6 nights).

3.0 Average Length of Stay by Region (2014-2016)

2.6

2.5

2.1 2.1
2.0 2.0 2.0
1.9 2.0
2.0
1.7
1.6
Nights

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
Central Chobe Ghanzi Kgalagadi Kgatleng Kweneng Ngamiland North East South East Southern

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4. OCCUPANCY BY TOWN

In certain areas of Botswana, the sample size is large enough to undertake analysis
at the city or town level. For the period 2014 to 2016 this was possible for:

• Francistown
• Gaborone
• Kasane
• Maun
• Palapye
• Selebi Phikwe

Analysis for these six locations for the years 2014 to 2016 is shown below.

Occupancy Statistics by City/Town 2014

Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
Francistown 45.5 25.1 1.4 2.6 1.5 1.1
Gaborone 56.2 39.9 2.2 3.3 2.6 1.1
Kasane 36.7 30.1 2.7 2.2 2.3 1.6
Maun 33.2 27.5 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6
Palapye 52.1 30.0 1.1 2.6 1.2 1.0
Selebi 43.0 22.0 1.3 2.5 1.5 1.0
Phikwe
Occupancy Statistics by City/Town 2015
Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
Francistown 67.2 49.6 2.2 2.8 2.3 1.2
Gaborone 53.6 34.7 2.1 2.9 2.5 1.0
Kasane 44.5 32.2 2.8 2.2 2.3 1.4
Maun 25.6 19.0 2.0 1.6 1.7 1.4
Palapye 62.5 33.2 1.4 3.1 1.6 1.0
Selebi 54.4 31.4 1.9 2.4 2.0 1.0
Phikwe
Occupancy Statistics by City/Town 2016
Month Room Bed Length of Stay Guests/
Occ. Occ. Room
Rate Rate Residents Non-Res All
Francistown 74.3 67.0 1.4 4.2 3.2 3.3
Gaborone 59.3 44.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.6
Kasane 49.1 16.4 2.2 2.2 2.2 1.8
Maun 28.2 16.8 1.8 2.1 2.0 1.4
Palapye 69.1 36.3 1.0 1.6 1.3 1.6
Selebi 60.1 16.8 2.0 2.6 2.1 1.2
Phikwe

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5. EMPLOYMENT

There were an estimated 13,000 employees working in the accommodation sector in

2016, with 55% of these being female Botswana nationals. Male Botswana nationals
made up 42% of all employees, with foreign workers representing 3% of the
workforce.

Nationality Gender 2014 2015 2016

Botswana Male 5,101 4,886 5,395
Botswana Female 6,848 6,520 7,198
Foreign Male 284 249 275
Foreign Female 166 128 141
Total 12,399 11,783 13,010

Foreign Male Foreign Female

2% 1%

Botswana Male
42%

Botswana Female
55%

Distribution of Employees 2016

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6. REVENUE AND WAGES

Wages and Salaries amounted to a total of P0.44 billion in 2016, making the average
monthly earnings of accommodation sector employees approximately P2,800.

Revenues in the accommodation sector totalled P3.16 billion in 2016, with 76% of
this being generated from rooms sales, a further 13% from food, and 4% from drinks.
The final 7% accounts for other revenues including communications and laundry.

Revenue/Expenditure 2014 2015 2016

Pula (Bn) Pula (Bn) Pula (Bn)

Wages and Salaries 0.48 0.42 0.44

Revenue
Rooms 2.09 2.29 2.40
Meals 0.34 0.39 0.41
Drinks 0.14 0.13 0.13
Other 0.17 0.21 0.23
Total Revenue 2.75 3.01 3.16

Drinks
4%
Other
7%

Meals
13%

Rooms
76%

Distribution of Revenue 2016

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