Covid Travel Restrictions Devastate Africa’s Tourism•

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Covid Travel Restrictions Devastate Africa’s Tourism•

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By Bloomberg• 11 August 2020

Global restrictions on travel have dealt a devastating blow to African nations who depend on tourists and their hard currency to support an industry that employs millions of people on the continent.

National carriers in Mauritius, Kenya and Namibia ran into more financial trouble as flights were grounded. In South Africa, listed hotel group, Sun International Ltd., announced two of its casinos won’t reopen after the country’s coronavirus lockdown ends. Kenya expects the number of flight passengers to fall by about 1.6 million and losses of as much as $511 million in hotel-room revenue if the pandemic persists.
The following charts show the importance of the tourism sector to parts of the continent, as well as the pain lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus have caused.

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Travel and tourism contributed $168 billion to African economies last year, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Island nations including Mauritius and Seychelles heavily rely on travelers for revenue.

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Several African economies without mineral resources and oil have managed to monetize their beaches and wildlife. Uganda and Rwanda are popular destinations for mountain gorilla trekking, while Mauritius, Seychelles and Comoros have drawn millions of tourists seeking seaside holidays. Spending by these visitors, a key source of revenue, has dried up since March.

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In 2019, the number of visitors to Mauritius was about 1.4 million — that was more than its population of 1.3 million people. The picture changed when the Indian Ocean island nation imposed a lockdown from March 20 and arrivals for April, May and June were almost zero. The country recorded its last Covid-19 death on April 27, but that won’t be enough to get tourists back. Its national carrier, the key to transferring the guests, was placed under voluntary administration and travel restrictions remain in Mauritius’s biggest source-markets including France and South Africa.

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In South Africa, the impact of restrictions on the movement of people and businesses also showed up in domestic-tourism numbers. Income from accommodation fell 99% during the first full month of the lockdown and has yet to recover. The crash in food-and-beverage sales eased slightly in May as restaurants opened for delivery, but a renewed ban on the sale of alcohol could further weigh on the industry. Travel for leisure is still only allowed within provinces, which means seaside holidays and most game resorts are off-limits to people in Gauteng, the richest and most populous province.

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article ... %20Tourism


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Re: Covid Travel Restrictions Devastate Africa’s Tourism•

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The internal travel regulations are a joke! 0*\

The Brat flew to Cape Town yesterday. Last week he went to the police station to get the correct forms authorised...they didn't even ask for them at the airport or ask why he was travelling. :O^

According to Mango Airline's website, middle seats on the plane would be left empty....the plane was completely full with no empty seats! The Brat's flatmate had booked an earlier flight which was then cancelled and she was moved onto the Brat's flight....obviously they didn't want the expense of 2 half-full flights so just put everyone together. :O^

The Brat said that every person who checked in was told their baggage was over the limit, and had to pay for excess baggage. The Brat's case was not over the limit but he ended up paying R175. His flatmate had to pay over R500....is this another way for them to make extra money? :evil:

Only passengers are allowed into the airport, so you must just drop off and go. BUT, they have closed the drop-off (and pick-up) areas and you have to go into the undercovered parking and get a ticket. The drop-off area is in the same place as the exit booms so everyone is trying to park or get out of a parking where the queues for the boom are. 0*\ The exit booms don't work. Every time you put your ticket in, the machine spits it out. You press the intercom button to speak to someone which just rings continuously. It took about 5 mins for each car to exit! What a mess!! :evil: The parking is free so why not leave the booms open?? Why close the drop-off area?? I know they want everyone to enter at one place, but then just lock all the other entrances. The people in this country love to make things as difficult as possible!! O/ O/


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Re: Covid Travel Restrictions Devastate Africa’s Tourism•

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Ja Flutts, cool country we live in O**

With us buying a house in Limpopo we had to travel there 3 times in the last 3 weeks and each time we got permits from the estate agents, the road blocks are at Carousel toll gate but we where not stopped once -O- even when I had a trailer with a mattress and chairs for Anja, they didn't even look at us 0*\ . They just as well open the provincial borders and let us visit the parks and lodges etc........ -O- :yes:


Marakele day trips

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Re: Covid Travel Restrictions Devastate Africa’s Tourism•

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The Government has a special office with employees selected from the best academic bits of intelligence. The secret name is: " Governmental office for the basic ways and tricks to make easy things as complicated as possible" O**


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Re: Covid Travel Restrictions Devastate Africa’s Tourism•

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So true Lis!! lol


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Re: Covid Travel Restrictions Devastate Africa’s Tourism•

Post by Richprins »

0*\ Flutts!

Yes, obviously the airlines have to make money asap now! O-/


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Re: Covid Travel Restrictions Devastate Africa’s Tourism•

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Industry in Ruins

SA tourism gets lifeline, but needs foreign travellers to escape life support

By Greg Nicolson• 20 August 2020

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Over the next 24 months, the plan is to sell South Africa as a destination for international tourists in the hope that the sector will at least return to pre-Covid levels. (Photo: Gallo Images / Misha Jordaan)

The resumption of interprovincial leisure travel offers hope for the decimated tourism industry but the sector’s challenges are far from over. Until the country’s borders reopen, the fight to save businesses and jobs continues.

Total income in the tourism accommodation industry in June 2020 decreased by 95.3% compared to June 2019, announced Statistics SA last week.

“The pandemic has undeniably been devastating for the tourism sector, resulting in many businesses not being able to keep their doors open or battling to survive as their revenue and sales continued to shrink, leading to forced staff reduction or retrenchments,” said Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on Wednesday.

Level 2 lockdown regulations, which allow for interprovincial leisure travel and the resumption of alcohol sales, have offered a lifeline to one of the sectors most affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but it might take years for the tourism industry to recover.

Before the impact of Covid-19 hit, 2020/21 was expected to be a rebound year for tourism. SA Tourism had targeted an 8.7% increase in international arrivals and a combined total domestic and inbound tourism expenditure of R273-billion.

According to the department of tourism, the industry lost an estimated R54.2-billion as demand plummeted between February and May. Before business travel within provinces was permitted in June and interprovincial travel allowed under Level 2 of the lockdown, the department estimated the industry could lose up to an extra R149.7-billion and almost 440,000 jobs in the remainder of the year.

In a survey conducted by the tourism department in May, 64% of businesses in the sector said they couldn’t service their debts, while 67% said they couldn’t cover fixed costs.

The government offered qualifying small businesses in the tourism and hospitality industries a R50,000 once-off payment but only had a total of R200-million to spend. Tourist guides were eligible to claim R1,500 for three months. Businesses have also been encouraged to apply for bank loans through the government’s Covid-19 loan guarantee scheme.

On Wednesday, Kubayi-Ngubane highlighted the diverse range of experiences the country offers tourists: there’s the sea, nature reserves, adventure sports and romantic locations; it’s ideal for singles, couples, the elderly and business trips.

Her department has released a draft tourism recovery plan that includes three phases: protecting domestic tourism businesses, managing the reopening of the industry and driving long-term growth.

“Our intention is to start as soon as possible with the implementation of the recovery plan. We are mindful that this is critical as tourism is one of the pillars for the broader South African economic recovery and growth,” said Kubayi-Ngubane.

Her department is launching a campaign to promote domestic tourism, but first, it needs to build trust. After months of limited movement, South Africans might want to take a holiday but they need to know it will be safe.

“Our main goal is to ensure that no tourism facility becomes a source of the spread of the pandemic and we are encouraged that since the beginning of the opening and bringing activities back we are still doing well. Let us keep this up and also hold one another accountable against this commitment for the sake of our people and our industry,” said the minister.

Over the next 24 months, the plan is to sell the country as a destination for international tourists in the hope that the sector will at least return to pre-Covid levels.

Opening up interprovincial travel will help avoid the worst-case scenario (if it can get much worse). The Tourism Business Council of South Africa has pointed out that it is crucial for businesses in Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo, which receive more domestic tourists from Gauteng than their own provinces.

It also provides an opportunity to grow the domestic market as South Africans aren’t able to travel abroad for leisure.

But the industry will not be able to recover until international tourists can return. The minister was careful not to predict when that might be as it will be determined by the local and global response to the pandemic.

Lee-Anne Bac, BDO director for tourism and travel, explained the industry’s challenges to Cape Talk.

“In reality, yes it’s an opportunity, the tourism industry is very grateful the opportunity is here and we can travel interprovincially but we also have to be realistic that it’s not the solution for everything that we’re looking for,” she said.

“We really need the borders to open before we can start to really get back to some sort of normalcy within our travel and tourism sector.”

According to tourism and hospitality regulations, accommodation facilities must ensure their dining and reception areas are kept to an occupancy of 50% of the floor space. Restaurants must ensure there are 1.5m between tables and adhere to the 10pm curfew and sale of alcohol restrictions. A maximum of 50 people are allowed at weddings.

All places of attractions, such as theme parks, zoos and game reserves, and tour operators must follow physical distancing and hygiene regulations. DM


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