Covid-19 Coronavirus: South African Tourism Update

While Africa Day is observed on 25 May, Robben Island Museum is celebrating Africa and her people for the entire month of May, with group ticket discounts of up to 25%. “Robben Island Museum is arguably one of Africa’s most renowned symbols of her struggle for freedom and stands as reminder of the strength of the human spirit, particularly in a time when South Africa and Africa at large are still yearning for true freedom,” said Siphuxolo Mazwi, RIM Senior Manager: Marketing and Tourism.

The South African Tourism (SA Tourism) Board, Management, Staff and Partners are deeply saddened by the news of the passing away of its former Board Chairperson, Jabu Mabuza. The 63-year-old, Mabuza, held various leadership roles in the tourism industry and was first appointed to the SA Tourism Board in 2003.

In a bid to reposition South Africa as a COVID-19 safe destination and dispel damaging narratives currently associated with South Africa, South African Tourism (SA Tourism) and the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), are launching a Global PR communications Tourism Advocacy Program. This forms part of the “Tourism Road To Recovery Plan”, which was recently adopted by national government and the tourism sector.

United Airlines has inaugurated its nonstop daily service between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and O.R. Tambo International Airport, with the arrival of the first flight into Johannesburg on the 4th of June.

South African Tourism (SA Tourism) was a big winner at International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA) awards ceremony held in Cape Town last Friday. The television commercial (TVC) “Because South Africa”, produced by the WWP Group, was up for various nominations in a host of categories.

After the unprecedented 73% drop in international tourism recorded in 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for international travel remained weak at the beginning of 2021. As part of the tourism sector recovery strategy compiled by South African Tourism and the tourism industry, which was approved by cabinet in April 2021, it was predicted that the tourism sector recovery would start domestically, then progress regionally and then ultimately internationally. The arrivals statistics from the continent from October 2020 to February 2021 indicate the gradual start of recovery from this region, in line with the predictions made in the tourism sector recovery strategy.

The Board of South African Tourism (SA Tourism) has accepted the request by current CEO, Sisa Ntshona, to vacate his position at the helm of the organization at the end of May 2021. Ntshona’s five-year contract comes to an end on 30 September 2021 and the CEO previously indicated to the South African Tourism Board, that he will not be re-applying for the position.

South African excellence was on display at the 93rd Academy Awards in Los Angeles last night with the acclaimed Netflix documentary, My Octopus Teacher, winning an Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature Category. The documentary is set in the False Bay area in Cape Town and focusses on the intimate relationship between, independent film maker, Craig Foster and an Octopus, coming together in the Atlantic Ocean.

In efforts to aid the recovery of the global tourism sector, South African Tourism and Qatar Airways, hosted a webinar featuring over 300 global trade partners. Focused on showcasing the work that both South African Tourism and Qatar Airways are doing to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector, the webinar also aimed to engage with global trade to ensure alignment of efforts whilst emphasizing the commitment of both South African Tourism and Qatar Airways.

In a partnership that can best be described as aiming for the stars, South African Tourism (SA Tourism) and Netflix, the world’s leading streaming service have agreed to explore joint opportunities that will benefit both organizations to showcase stories made in South Africa, and watched by the world.

South Africa has a wide variety of accommodation establishments that cater for the varying needs of both domestic and international travellers.  As the custodian of quality assurance and service excellence, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA), a business unit of South African Tourism, has rolled out the pilot phase of the Basic Quality Verification (BQV) programme, in the Eastern Cape.

South African Tourism through its business unit, Tourism Grading Council of South Africa continues to create a platform for new and existing tourism products to showcase themselves to local and international tour operators, with the aim of building a quality visitor experience through Virtual Speed Marketing sessions. Speed Marketing is a market access platform created to provide tourism businesses an opportunity to interact and forge business relationships between products and buyers (Tour operators and DMCs who are already packaging and selling the destination or have interest in doing so).