JOHANNESBURG, 4 June 2020 <\/strong>\u2013 South Africa\u2019s tourism private-sector, under the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), have been engaging on the Tourism Recovery Strategy currently being developed by South African Tourism. TBCSA is advocating unequivocally for the earlier phased reopening of international tourism to South Africa this year to as soon as September 2020.<\/i><\/p>\n This data-driven recovery strategy has been presented to relevant government authorities and is guided by government\u2019s risk-adjustment strategy as well as the preparation that the tourism industry has put in place to ensure safety and stringent health-focussed protocols to guide and assist stakeholders within the travel and tourism value-chain including staff, travellers and guests. The TBCSA will also be presenting the approach at the next Parliamentary Portfolio Committee meeting on 9 June 2020.<\/i><\/p>\n \u201cSouth Africa is following a Risk-Adjusted Strategy based on levels of lockdown, not dates. These levels are defined according to relevant epidemiologic facts \u2013 parts of the travel and tourism sector have been earmarked for return in Levels 2 and 1, depending on their risk profile and the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa. However, we have already seen the inclusion of business travel in Level 3 as a result of successful lobbying for earlier reopening of this critical sector and we are confident that we are in a position to reopen inbound market in a safe and health-focussed manner at least in September.\u201d said Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO TBCSA.<\/i><\/p>\n From an inbound international tourism perspective, the TBCSA is putting acute emphasis on the importance of tourism to South Africa in the fourth quarter and the value of the forward book.<\/i><\/p>\n \u201cThe summer high season runs from September to March and represents 60% of the annual business for tourism. The nature of international inbound tourism is such that we have long lead times between booking and travel,\u201d explains Tshivhengwa.<\/i><\/p>\n Inbound tourism employs over 375,000 people in South Africa and contributes 8.7% of our exports. It is estimated that over 40,000 jobs have already been lost within the tourism sector, and it is critical to preserve those left. There are also significant knock-on effects on other parts of the economy as a result of not having international tourism and travel open. This will also affect South Africa\u2019s status as a regional hub and leading African destination should neighbouring countries and our competitors open up their borders faster.<\/i><\/p>\n Car rentals are one of the travel services that have been reopened already, however other parts of the market such as communities and conservation have been hard hit by the lockdown, adds Tshivhengwa. \u201cThe loss of jobs and income is already being felt significantly in those communities adjacent to parks and the direct impacts on conservation from reduced revenues and reduced corporate spending, as well as indirect impacts through increased environmental crime, are potentially devastating.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n The proposed phased recovery strategy provides for an initial 6-8-week Preparation Phase, followed by a Phase 1 trial phase where safe source markets with similar risk profiles and stages of pandemic are allowed to travel to South Africa. These travellers would be vetted, all stringent safety protocols would be in place and the focus would be on low-contact product and low-risk areas, traditionally with low density.<\/i><\/p>\n In Phase 2, South Africa would further open key markets, expand the experiences on offer, until in Phase 3 air access is opened fully and the destination can restart its longer-term growth strategy. \u201cAt the same time, South Africa will have to focus on continuing to create an enabling environment for tourism, which looks at more visa waivers, a robust eVisa system, the fixing of vehicle licencing and permits and air liberalisation,\u201d says Tshivhengwa.\u2018<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As a writer following the Covid-19 pandemic and its rampant disastrous effect on Tourism and the Restaurant industries, I have been surprised to read an increasing number of articles predicting the opening up of our country to international tourism by September 2020, in a month that is Tourism Month, and traditionally the beginning of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[7,39321,39789,37847,15,3,124,330,39707,23589,266,39790,20,528,22,39908,32565],"tags":[32378,39709,40341,40338,40340,40337,32388,5,1475,1076,40339,1528],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
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As a writer following the Covid-19 pandemic and its rampant disastrous effect on Tourism and the Restaurant industries, I have been surprised to read an increasing number of articles predicting the opening up of our country to international tourism by September 2020, in a month that is Tourism Month, and traditionally the beginning of the South African summer and therefore Tourist season. \u00a0The articles stem from a media release by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, and appears confident in its prediction, based on its lobbying with Government, an interaction which was scheduled for yesterday 9 June. No outcome of this interaction has been seen yet. Earlier predictions were that the country would only reopen to international tourists in February 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n