Photo: Flickr / Helgoland01
Photo: Flickr / Helgoland01
There’s a growing amount of pressure on the government to open up the economy even further at Advanced Level 3 of lockdown. Despite measures announced by Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday, the tourism industry is growing restless while it remains shackled by harsh restrictions – and there’s now a strong demand to open our provincial borders.
Advanced Level 3 – will intra-provincial travel be allowed?
Director of Alpha Destinations, Angela Matthews, vented her frustration to Tourism Update. She stated that a majority of their clients are unable to go anywhere due to the rules on provincial travel:
“Opening inter-provincial borders is an integral part of opening the country for domestic tourism. It is a fact that the majority of locals wanting – and being able to afford – a safari getaway, live in Gauteng. And that’s not where the lodges are.”
Business owner Angela Matthews
Political campaign rolls on during Advanced Level 3
These complaints have been taken up by the DA. Western Cape MEC David Maynier recently wrote to COGTA Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. He argues that the tourism industry is well-equipped to observe hygiene protocols, and it may help save many, many businesses:
“The movement of people intra-provincially should be permitted subject to strict health and safety protocols. Allowing these sections of the tourism and hospitality sector to open under Advanced Level 3 will accelerate industry recovery. This would allow short trips, which will stimulate the tourism economy and help prevent job losses.”
David Maynier
Tourism minister says no to provincial travel… for now
But alas, his pleas seem to have fallen upon deaf ears. Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has stated that Advanced Level 3 will not bring any alterations to the laws on provincial borders. However, things may change in the near future – and the National Coronavirus Council has been known to throw the odd curveball.
The shadow minister of tourism, Manny de Freitas, has decided to turn his attention to the row over home-sharing accommodation. Some hotels were given the green-light to operate this week, but AirBnB’s were specifically excluded. The DA representative says he’ll work to get this caveat dismissed:
“AirBnB and other home-sharing include the use of properties without any human interaction. Home share accommodation such as those many kilometres away from one another is being treated the same as home share accommodation that has people physically closer together. It’s shambolic to keep them shut-down.”
Manny de Freitas
