Capetonians will soon be able to take to some of the various hiking trails the Mother City has to offer, following an announcement from the Tourism Department that hiking will be permitted under lockdown Level 3 regulations.
News of the new regulations were announced at a Tourism Department brief today [May 29]. Minister of Tourism Kubayi-Ngubane announced that tourism information centres, travel agents and tourism guides will be permitted to start work again from June 1. Training in these areas will also be permitted.
Private and public game farms will be allowed to open for game drives but will be limited to non-group tours. Hiking will also be permitted, on trails that are open, but residents are warned that group hiking is not permitted. Self-drive excursions will also be permitted.
Inter-provincial travel to do these activities is also prohibited.
Accommodation establishments such as B&Bs and hotels will be allowed to host people traveling for business.
Hunting activities will also be permitted under Level 3 regulations.
The operations of conferences and casino facilities, however, remain prohibited from June 1.
During the brief the minister mentioned that the public should keep in mind that restaurants will be allowed to open both from deliveries and collection, the same applies to the purchasing of alcohol.
Kubayi-Ngubane reiterated that her department has made a R50 000 once-off subsidy relief fund available to those in the tourism sector. She reminded the public that the applications for aid close on May 31. The department has already received 6 000 applications.
In addition the department has set aside R30-million to provide relief for tour guides over the next three months. The minister said that guides would need to be registered with relevant bodies or must be either be independent contractors or freelancers to qualify for aid.
Kubayi-Ngubane ended her address saying that 600 000 jobs in the tourism sector are in danger and that intervention was needed to bring the sector back to life in order for it to survive.
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