City Lodge says trading remains tough in 2009

JOHANNESBURG, April 8 (Reuters) - South African hotels operator City Lodge (CLHJ.J) said on Wednesday fewer people had been visiting its hotels since November as business and leisure travellers tighten their belts due to the economic downturn.

"The trend since November is that business has been below last year, things are definitely softer ... but they haven't gotten any worse (since then)," City Lodge Chief Executive Officer Clifford Ross told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Erica Billingham)