International arrivals are already running ahead of last year as South Africa heads towards the summer holiday season. The country welcomed 991,696 international tourists in July 2026, up 12.5% year on year, taking arrivals for the first seven months to 6.58 million, according to the Department of Tourism’s latest figures. For hotels, resorts, and guesthouses, the busiest stretch of the year is still ahead.
This is happening against a more demanding climate outlook. El Niño is strengthening and is expected to become very strong, while South Africa’s latest Seasonal Climate Watch points to below-normal rainfall across many areas and higher temperatures during the 2026/27 summer.
For hospitality developers and operators, the forecast adds another question to the rush to finish renovations and prepare properties for peak season. How will the building perform when conditions become more demanding?
“Most properties will check the obvious things before summer, especially rooms and cooling systems,” says Wynand Deyzel, Commercial Sales Manager at Solenco. “Humidity is easy to overlook because you do not always see the problem straight away. By the time a room smells damp, finishes start showing signs of moisture, or a HVAC system is taking strain, the issue has usually been there for some time.”
Moisture can build up for reasons that have little to do with the weather outside. Bathrooms, laundries, pools and spas all add moisture to the air. If it is not controlled, it can contribute to mould growth and damage materials and furnishings.
It can also affect how hard existing air-conditioning and HVAC systems have to work. These systems are managing temperature while also dealing with moisture in the air. When humidity remains high, they can consume more electricity trying to maintain comfortable indoor conditions, particularly during peak season when occupancy and cooling demand are already elevated. The additional workload can also increase wear and maintenance requirements.
“The best time to think about moisture is while the building is still being designed or renovated,” says Deyzel. “Architects and engineers can consider where it is likely to come from, how materials will respond, and how ventilation, HVAC and humidity control can work together once occupancy rises.”
Ventilation can help, but if the outside air is already carrying a lot of moisture, bringing more of it inside does not dry the space out. In persistently humid environments, a dedicated commercial dehumidifier can remove excess moisture directly from the air rather than leaving the HVAC system to carry the full load.
The type of dehumidification required will depend on the building and the moisture challenge. For ongoing humidity management, dedicated systems such as the Solenco Fairland Inverter-Plus Commercial Dehumidifier can work alongside existing HVAC infrastructure, with floor-standing or wall-mounted installation where floorspace is limited. For temporary challenges such as flooding, water ingress or moisture after cleaning, mobile units can accelerate drying, minimise disruption and return affected areas to use more quickly.
For operators, the objective is not simply to add another appliance. Dedicated dehumidification allows moisture to be managed by equipment designed specifically for that purpose, helping reduce unnecessary strain on existing cooling systems.
Choosing the right solution depends on the moisture load and how the space is used. Expected running time, power consumption and drainage should all be considered when specifying equipment for a hospitality environment.
“A hospitality building has to keep performing long after the construction team has left,” says Deyzel. “If moisture is considered early, dedicated humidity control can work alongside existing HVAC rather than waiting for those systems to take strain. That helps operators protect the building, the equipment running it and the guest experience they have invested in creating.”