Tourism Council seeks talks over govt’s tourist list

Government announced on Thursday that leisure travellers from countries with a high number of Covid-19 infections, including the UK and the US, will not be permitted to enter South Africa.

Business travellers with scare skills, diplomats, investors, and those participating in sports or special events will be exempted from the new regulations.

The council’s CEO  Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa says the new measures need to be clarified.

“We are pleased that international borders are finally reopening so that the tourism sector can get back to work, contribute to the economy and save jobs. This is what we have been lobbying for fervently for many months,

“However, it is critical that government meets with private sector as a matter of urgency to clarify the method used to draft the list of high-risk countries and the practicalities surrounding this suggested phased reopening, so that this can be examined and its feasibility determined.

“This is especially since there is no public health reason to ban travellers from any country, provided the testing regime and protocols are adhered to.”

 He says the phased reopening introduces some uncertainties.

“Inbound international travellers need time to plan their travel. Changing the list of unbanned countries every two weeks introduces a layer of complexity and uncertainty that will lead to erratic booking cycles and confusion amongst travellers,

 "It will also deter foreign governments from giving the green light for their citizens to travel to South Africa as they seek certainty about our entry requirements, as well as deter airlines from operating on the route. There are just too many nuances in tourism for a phased international reopening to be practical, especially if the goalposts change continuously.”

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