MOST of Mossel Bay’s accommodation businesses and attractions performed well over the 2008/9 summer holidays, despite grim forecasts for tourism worldwide.

“For some reason the season seemed to start early for us this year, although almost all our members said that guests were staying for shorter periods than usual,” says Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm. “It seems that there were no beds available anywhere in town between Christmas and New Year.”

Anthony Doherty of the Garden Route Game Lodge, which offers both accommodation and attractions, says: “December’s numbers were slightly up on December last year but most trade happened over a shorter period around Christmas. At the same time, though, input costs have gone up considerably – so margins are not as good as last year.” The Point Hotel’s Louis Harris says figures for December showed a slight increase in occupancy and turnover. “Our results were above what we were expecting before the season began and we are therefore satisfied with what we did. However, we’re concerned with what this coming year will hold for us because international tour operators and their South African agents are putting pressure on our rates as a result of the recession.” “Although the town’s economy made it through this season relatively unscathed, we have to be aware that we might still be facing tough times ahead,” says Mossel Bay Tourism’s chairman, Neels Zietsman. “We’ll continue to turn the spotlight on Mossel Bay’s many unique attractions because, as we saw from the increase in visitor numbers during 2008, it’s the attractions that bring people here.”