Cape Town’s famous Mount Nelson Hotel will likely remain closed for the rest of the year, as South Africa’s restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to affect tourism in the Mother City.
The hotel is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no reopening date has yet been announced. A source confirmed to Cape Town Etc that the hotel will likely remain closed until December 2020 – at the very least.
The popular tourist hotspot let staff know that they are considering a retrenchment process in June 2020 and approximately 154 of the hotel’s 251 staff members will or have been affected.
Majority of the hotel’s business comes from foreign guests and the ban on leisure travel in and out of South Africa has put pressure on the establishment.
Many in the tourism industry expect international travel to be heavily affected by the pandemic until half way through 2021.
According to Business Insider, a number of staff members have already confirmed being let go. With no income, the hotel is unable to continue paying staff, even at a reduced rate.
Once the hotel has reopened either in December 2020 or in the new year, it is likely to operate at a lower capacity.
The tourism and hospitality industry are among the hardest hit during the pandemic, with a high number of establishments closing their doors for good and thousands of employees being affected by the lull in business.
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