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Hotels and restaurant sector
After a year marked by the global recession which has severely affected the tourism industry of the country, 2010 is the year of recovery for this sector. Value Added in current rupees, which went down from Rs 19.2 billion in 2008 to Rs 16.8 billion in 2009, rose to Rs 18.5 billion in 2010. In real terms, the sector recorded a growth rate of 6 percent in 2010 compared to the negative growth of 5.9 percent in 2009. Consequently, the share of ‘Hotels and Restaurants’ in GDP went up from 6.6 percent in 2009 to 7 percent in 2010.
According to preliminary estimates, the number of tourists increased by more than 63,471 (7.3 percent) in 2010 from 871,356 to 934,827. Let us recall that in 2009, a sharp drop of 59,100 visitors was recorded.
Following the increase in tourist arrivals, the room occupancy rate increased from 58 percent in 2009 to 63 percent in 2010. However, the indicator is still well below the 2007 level.
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS |
|
Unit |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
Value added |
Rs Bn |
15.5 |
18.7 |
19.2 |
16.8 |
18.5 |
Value added/GDP |
% |
8.5 |
8.7 |
7.9 |
6.6 |
7.0 |
Real Growth rate |
% |
+3.5 |
+12.0 |
+1.3 |
-5.9 |
+6.0 |
Tourist arrivals |
No. |
788,276 |
906,971 |
930,456 |
871,356 |
934,827 |
Gross earnings |
Rs Bn |
31.9 |
40.7 |
41.2 |
35.7 |
39,4 |
Employment |
No. |
21,341 |
22,245 |
24,565 |
22,909 |
23,311 |
Investment |
Rs Bn |
6.6 |
10.2 |
12.0 |
12.8 |
11.7 |
As a % of total investment |
% |
14.8 |
16.7 |
17.8 |
17.2 |
15.9 |
Real Growth rate |
% |
+46.8 |
+37.7 |
+6.6 |
+6.7 |
-9.2 |
Number of hotels |
No. |
98 |
97 |
102 |
102 |
104 |
Number of rooms |
No. |
10666 |
10857 |
11488 |
11,456 |
11,383 |
Room occupancy rate |
% |
66 |
76 |
68 |
58 |
63 |
The rise in the number of tourists was noted in most of our main markets, with two exceptions. Firstly, the number of tourists from United Kingdom dropped by 3.1 percent from 101,996 to 98,834. In 2008, there were about ten thousand more British visitors who came on vacation in the country. The second one is Italy, with a decrease of 1.2 percent from 56,736 to 56,056. Since 2007, the number of Italian tourists is constantly decreasing.
It should be noted that, if we bring together the figures of Reunion Island, a French department, with France, the number of tourists should be around 389,000, representing more than 41 percent of the tourist arrivals in the country.
As for gross earnings from tourism, it has increased by 9.2 percent from Rs 35.7 billion in 2009 to Rs 39 billion in 2010. In 2008, the receipt was more than Rs 41 billion.
Investment in hotels which has gone up constantly in the recent years has dropped considerably, in real terms, by 9.2 percent in 2010. In current prices, GDFCF for this sector is estimated at Rs 11.7 billion, representing 15.9 percent of total investment for 2010.
Total employment in the large establishments of the “Hotels and Restaurants” sector increased by 1.8 percent from 22,909 in March 2009 to 23,311 in March 2010. In the previous year, there was a drop of 7.2%.
TOURIST ARRIVALS |
Country |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
France |
182295 |
240,028 |
260,054 |
275,599 |
275,814 |
% change |
-17.3% |
31.7% |
8.3% |
6.0% |
7.8% |
United Kingdom |
102333 |
107,297 |
107,919 |
101,996 |
98,834 |
% change |
7.3% |
4.9% |
0.6% |
-5.5% |
-3.1 |
Reunion |
89127 |
95,823 |
96,174 |
104,946 |
113,237 |
% change |
-10.0% |
7.5% |
0.4% |
9.1% |
7.9 |
S. Africa, Rep. of |
70796 |
81,733 |
84,448 |
74,176 |
84,041 |
% change |
21.1% |
15.4% |
3.3% |
-12.2% |
13.3 |
Italy |
69407 |
69,510 |
66,432 |
56,736 |
56,055 |
% change |
59.7% |
0.1% |
-4.4% |
-14.6% |
-1.2 |
Germany |
57251 |
65,165 |
61,484 |
51,279 |
51,587 |
% change |
2.3% |
13.8% |
-5.6% |
-16.6% |
0.6% |
More information can be obtained from:
Statistics Mauritius: http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/cso
Ministry of Tourism, Leisure & External Communications: http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/tourist
Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority: http://www.tourism-mauritius.mu
Association des Hôteliers et Restaurateurs de l'île Maurice: http://www.mauritiustourism.org/home.htm |
