Hospitality industry’s hopes of a bumper festive season being hampered by power outages

The National Accommodation Association of South Africa says rolling blackouts are having a dire impact on the hospitality industry, leading to loss of business.

Eskom ramped up to stage six power cuts which will last until Friday morning when stage five will be introduced.

The association’s chairperson Rosemarie Van Staden says they were hoping for a boost in business during the festive season but load shedding is getting in the way.

“We are getting cancellations from people at that moment. The moment they find out that there’s load shedding in your area, they say they’re not coming to stay there anymore. To come into a house where there is very little light on, due to the fact that we cannot afford solar systems. So, now, what do you do a whole evening, when you sit in a room, and there’s no TV, no lights, nothing that you can do,” Van Staden elaborates.

VIDEO: Impact of blackouts on hospitality industry: