Tourism Month to focus on local travel to kickstart sector
Domestic travel will be at the forefront of this year’s Tourism Month as the sector tries to increase demand following a devastating year.
The sector started its long road to recovery when the country entered level 2 of the lockdown in early August, which included the green light for inter-provincial travel.
Minister Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubani launched Tourism Month, which is celebrated in September, in Tshwane on Monday.
“We believe that through South Africans getting to know their own country we can drive market demand to unprecedented levels.
“Indeed, we had envisaged that domestic tourism will be the first pillar in which the tourism recovery will kick start.
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“In the tourism month we will drive our tourism campaign that will be aimed at getting South Africans to travel, and explore the splendour responsibility under the guidance of safety and protocols.”
The tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit economic sectors since the lockdown was imposed in March.
According to the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, the industry is estimated to have lost more than R68 billion since the lockdown was enforced.
Its also feared that some 600 000 tourism jobs will be lost as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.