Photo: Flickr / @IWentLeft
Photo: Flickr / @IWentLeft
The shift to Level 2 will officially happen on Tuesday 18 August, and as a host of strict regulations collapse, on particular limitation will stay firmly fixed in place: South Africa’s international borders remain closed, meaning that visitors from overseas cannot travel here – but the Tourism Business Council has other ideas.
When can international tourists visit South Africa again?
TBCSA is one of the main regulatory bodies for the industry. Although they have welcomed the news with regards to a relaxed lockdown, they have vowed to ‘lobby’ for the return of international travel. It’s understood that the tourism industry is losing R750 million for each day of lockdown, but that number could soon subside.
South Africans can now move from province to province, meaning people are free to travel to Limpopo for the Kruger from anywhere in the country. That’s just one of many examples, as a five-month ban on leaving provincial borders comes to an end this week. But will the changes be enough? Not everyone is convinced.
Tourism bosses want to reopen the national borders
Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa is the CEO of the Tourism Business Council. Although he acknowledged that a relaxation on restrictions including alcohol and local travel would ‘go a long way’ to leading an industry recovery, it still wouldn’t be enough to fill the gap left by the hundreds of thousands of international visitors who keep South Africa’s tourism industry alive and kicking:
“The Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo tourism sector relies heavily on travellers from Gauteng for revenue. Dropping to Level 2 will go a long way in helping the industry to recover’ – but the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) will continue to lobby for reopening international travel.”
Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, Tourism Business Council CEO
President Cyril Ramaphosa has lifted the ban on inter-provincial travel and accommodation, and hospitality venues are now allowed to function. @janedutton spoke to Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, from the Tourism Business Council of South Africa about this. Courtesy #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/eknWEWalaZ
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 17, 2020
