As we all await the Presidental address tonight at 8 pm, numerous speculations are racing through South Africa regarding which restrictions will be put in place.
In light of travel, SA Tourism’s acting CEO, Sthembiso Dlamini has urged South Africans to travel wherever they can, albeit safely in light of the potential third wave.
Even just making day trips will help the country’s tourism industry, Dlamini expressed.
According to News24, when asked about the implications of rising cases, the head of SA Tourism expressed that:
“Of course, we all have to stay safe and ensure that Covid-19 protocols are complied with – and the tourism industry has the proper measures in place.”
“It is about traveling safely. The protocols are there,” Dlamini added.
Domestic tourism has been hard knocked by the pandemic. Roughly 700 000 people were directly involved in tourism, with 1.5 million indirectly involved as per Fin24. Dlamini encouraged South Africans to even “travel in their own backyards” if sleepovers and interprovincial travel isn’t allowed, as per News24.
Green and sustainable tourism seems to be the umbrella goal for SA tourism right now, but the starting point is the “conscious traveller.”
Dlamini is “crossing fingers” regarding the rising cases in the country.
Additionally, she urged airlines to resume their SA routes.
Dlamini seems confident that there are strong enough protocols in place to keep people safe and healthy.
In response to the looming third wave, SA Tourism launched “a global advocacy programme with the Tourism Business Council of SA (TBCSA), which represents the private sector. The aim is to provide source markets with up-to-date information about SA,” (News24).
What exactly travelling in one’s backyard entails isn’t exactly clear. What is clear, however, is that the tourism industry of South Africa is trying to navigate through the turbulent waters of the pandemic’s resurge in protocol manner rather than a
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