Glossary of terms

EExplore our vocabulary of terms that explains concepts that’s relevant to our reports.

• Accommodation usage – bed nights is calculated by adding the accommodation in different types for each trip taken in the period.
• Capital expenditure – the amount spent by foreign tourists during his/her trip and stay at the destination on capital investments such as property, houses, motor cars, artwork, furniture, jewellery, financial assets, etc.
• Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) - the year over year growth.
• Country of residence - If a person resides (or intends to reside) for more than one year in a given country and has there his/her centre of economic interest (e.g. his/her major source of income), he/she is considered as a resident of this country. International traveller - Any person on a trip between two or more localities in different countries.

• Domestic tourist - A resident visitor who visits within the economic territory of the country of reference.
• Domestic visitor - A visitor whose country of residence is the country visited. They may be nationals of this country or foreigners.
• Expenditure on goods bought for resale – the amount spent by foreign tourists during his/her trip and stay at the destination on goods that will be resold.
• Flow of domestic direct spend is calculated by apportioning TDDS by the total number of bed nights spent in each province for the inflow of value, and apportioning TDDS by the province of origin for the outflow of value.
• Foreign traveller - A person who resides outside South Africa and visits the country temporarily.
• Foreign visitor – A visitor who is a resident of another country.
• International tourist - An international visitor who stays at least one night in collective or private accommodation in the country visited.
• International visitor - Any person who travels to a country other than that in which he/she has his/her residence but outside his/her usual environment for a period that is less than 12 months and whose main purpose of visit is other than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the country visited.
• LSM refers to “Living Standards Measure”. It is a unique means of segmenting the South African market which has been developed by the South African Advertising Research Foundation. It cuts across race and other outmoded techniques of categorising people, and instead groups people according to their living standards using criteria such as degree of urbanisation and ownership of cars and major appliances. For more information, please visit www.saarf.co.za.
• Spend by purpose is the spend proportioned by purpose of visit.
• Total Domestic Direct Spend (TDDS) is the capita spend for each domestic trip taken in the period and reported in nominal terms, unless otherwise stated.
• Total Tourist Foreign Direct Spend (TTFDS) is the capita spend for each international trip taken in the period and reported in nominal terms, unless otherwise stated.
• Total trip expenditure– the amount spent by foreign tourists on his/her entire trip including amounts spent in his/her home country and during his/her trip and stay at the destination. It is calculated by adding all prepaid expenses (including airfare) and expenses incurred in South Africa. Prepaid trip expenditure – the amount spent by foreign tourists before his/her trip. These are calculated by adding all prepaid expenses incurred in the home country, any another country and prepaid expenditure in South Africa.
• Trip - A journey undertaken by one or more members of the household for at least one night away from home, where a person did not receive any remuneration (did not make any profit) at that destination. It is important to note that a trip must be complete. That means a trip is only applicable when a person returns to his/her place of residence.

• Usual environment - To be outside the ‘usual environment’ the person should travel more than 40 kilometres from his/her place of residence (one way) AND the place should NOT be visited more than once a week. This includes place of work and place of study. Leisure and recreational trips are included irrespective of frequency. 

• Visitor - Any person travelling to a place other than that of his/her usual environment for less than 12 months, and whose main purpose of the trip is other than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited. Same day visitor – A visitor who visits a place for less than one night.