Monday marks World Tourism Day

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The South African tourism sector has been the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the extent of job losses still being counted.

Now, as the economy begins to re-open, tourism stakeholders are being asked to reflect, reimagine and reignite tourism on the African continent. The industry, that has seen many businesses permanently close their doors, is beginning to adapt to a new business environment.

Monday marks World Tourism Day, and celebrations in South Africa will take place in the town of Clarens in the Free State under the theme: Tourism for inclusive growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly dented the tourism industry, not just in South Africa, but in countries across the globe. The World Travel and Tourism Council reported that in 2020, after the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a marked decrease of 83-billion US dollars and a loss of 7.2-million jobs, in the tourism sector across the globe. Blessing Manale is Chief Director of Communications at the Department of Tourism explains the extent of losses for the sector.

“We lost jobs, people could not trade, infrastructure got dilapidated. All these things that we need for tourism were diminished and seriously eroded by the coronavirus pandemic. There were major losses in restaurants, small enterprises because they do not have other measures to protect them like business interruption insurances. The temporary employment relief scheme by labour helped. We are speaking in access of about 20-thousand jobs. Whether it’s a waiter or driver. We’ve got to get back those jobs, it has been that bad.”

Last week, the Department hosted the African Travel and Tourism Summit, aimed at rejuvenating tourism on the continent. The Department of Tourism has developed the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan, which looks to preserve the industry’s R189-billion and save as many as 125 000 jobs. Manale says the summit addressed perceptions that travelling and doing business in Africa is not safe because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve got interventions aimed at the domestic market and we are looking into systems like the budget motel system, travel week where South Africans are offered up to 50% discounts on bookings. We are looking at reigniting events with local artists that are affordable. We hosted the African Travel and Tourism Summit. The key issue was reigniting brand Africa, selling our locations as film locations. Tapping into the innovation of young people, empowering our women and using digital tools so that people can trust our businesses.”

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has addressed the red list matter with the British Deputy High Commissioner to South Africa. The red list contains the names of countries at highest risk of spreading the coronavirus.

The UK government has instituted additional measures for travellers entering Britain from South Africa which tourism leaders say, is hindering tourism from the UK. General Manager for Corporate Traveller, a travel management agency, Oz Desai says South Africa being on the red list is mainly due to the Beta variant, which has created the perception that South Africa is a COVID-19 hotspot.

“China and the UK are still close to South Africa and have harsh quarantine measures for South Africans which is very painful for us. A UK citizen can come into SA with just a PCR test but on return home, they will have to quarantine for up to 2 weeks. From a cost perspective that is R40 000, similarly for a South African wanting to go to the UK. The biggest bug there is the vaccines that pretty much the vaccines that the whole world has recognised, J&J, Pfizer and AstraZeneca and SA as we know have used Pfizer and J&J, those vaccines are not being recognised by the UK which is ridiculous considering they were part of COVAX. Definitely, for the tourism industry in SA, the key thing is vaccinations.”

Meanwhile, the recent shift to alert level 2 means more aspects of the country’s economy are now permitted to operate – a move the Tourism Industry has been calling for. However, despite these relaxed restrictions, it seems a romantic safari getaway is not as enticing for all South Africans right now. These regular leisure travellers share mixed reactions.

“Yes I will as long as they take the necessary precautions, things need to pick up we still have to live,” says one traveller.

“Not anytime soon, the numbers need to come down and look safer before we start to travel,” says another.

“I would be willing to travel, being confined to home for so long, I feel like a prisoner so going out for a small vacation will do some good. I have to take precautions,” adds a frustrated traveller.

“Personally, I would prefer to wait a little while. Doesn’t mean that because the national state of disaster is going to expire that the coronavirus is going to end. As much as I love travelling, I’m not willing to travel anytime soon,” says a cautious traveller.

Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu is this week expected to announce new measures for the tourism transformation fund. Sisulu will also release new and improved measures for the industry to operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2 months ago