Covid-19 Coronavirus: South African Tourism Update

Almost two-thirds of international travellers are ready to travel immediately after the lifting of international travel restrictions or within a year thereafter, a South African Tourism (SA Tourism) survey on international travel has revealed. The report follows an international tourist behaviour survey, which gives insight into consumer travel preferences post-COVID-19. The recent online sampling survey by SA Tourism’s Strategy Insights and Analytics (SIA) team solicited views of international tourists who have visited South Africa in the past three years.

As from today, 29 June 2020, business conferences of no more than 50 people can now take place in South Africa, whilst restaurants are now also open for patrons to enjoy sit-down meals. Added to this, accredited accommodation establishments are open for domestic business travellers while South Africans can now also play golf, and go to cinemas and theatres which will be open at limited capacities in order to maintain physical and social distancing.

In line with President’s announcement last week, we are continuing with the effort to reactivate the Tourism sector so that we can save businesses and Jobs in the sector. Working together with the sector, we have developed protocols and guidelines to ensure that as we reopen more tourism activities we protect the lives of employers, employees, tourists and South Africans at large.

South Africa’s tourism performance report for 2019 has been released.  The report allows you the opportunity to access the vision, mission and values of South African Tourism. As an organisation, we believe in complete transparency, and our annual reports reflect this attitude of openness and sound financial reporting. In addition to our audited facts and figures, our annual reports will give you the latest information on the impact of tourism on our economy, as well as details of our Tourism Growth Scorecard. You’ll also be able to access messages from our core team, as well as understand the workings of our business units both locally and around the world.

South Africa’s 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

South Africa has been globally lauded by key COVID-19 experts for handling the pandemic in an effective manner, slowing down infections and implementing various lockdown measures through a risk adjusted strategy aimed at easing restrictions and opening up the economy and other activities over 5 alert levels.

Airlink will launch a limited scheduled domestic air service from Monday 8th June, with flights on the Johannesburg-Cape Town and Johannesburg-Durban trunk routes, using 98-seat Embraer E190 regional jets.

The Minister added that the initial phase of the recovery will be driven by domestic tourism, followed by regional tourism. International tourism is likely to recover in 2021.

South African Tourism, The Nelson Mandela Foundation and Videovision Entertainment join hands to inspire hope as the country marks Freedom Day under lockdown.

SA Tourism is under taking the process of compiling a Tourism Recover y Plan for the sector. As such, we have created a series of webinars in order to engage the Tourism Industry on solutions, scenarios, and a way forward which will form part of this recovery plan. There will be three sessions in total, each lasting 90 minutes.

Amidst the outbreak of the Coronavirus on South African shores, the tourism industry has had to re-evaluate and assess a number of business events which were scheduled to take place in the coming months. In line with this assessment, Africa’s premier travel trade show, the Tourism Indaba scheduled for May 2020 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre in Durban, has been postponed to a date yet to be confirmed.

South African Tourism (SA Tourism), the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) and the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) are coordinating efforts to create a central portal where all accommodation establishments across the country can load the information of the local and international guests staying at their establishments.