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With the domestic tourism sector allowed to resume operations below South Africa’s level, the government’s next step is to work towards the reopening of international travel, says tourism minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.
“With the risk of the virus spreading in a downward trend, we are hopeful that the opening of our borders will occur earlier than expected,” Kubayi-Ngubane told a news conference on Monday (August 31).
“Again, I must emphasize that the level of risk, as assessed by experts, will determine when it happens.”
He added that the government continues to focus on domestic tourism today that this will be the ‘first pillar’ on which the country’s tourism recovery will be launched.
“We believe that domestic tourism, South Africans who travel and know their own country, can drive market demand to unprecedented levels.
“During this Tourism Month, we will promote our national tourism campaign aimed at getting South Africans to travel and explore the splendor of their country in a responsible manner, under the guidance of health and safety protocols.”
Kubayi-Ngubane said research shows South Africans have clear preferences when it comes to traveling during lockdown:
- All travelers want tourist attractions and activities with strict adherence to health and safety protocols;
- They yearn to travel to escape confinement and discover previously unknown local attractions with a renewed appreciation for local culture, history and nature;
- South Africans have been locked in their homes for too long and yearn for great open spaces with adventure;
- Domestic travelers are also looking for affordable travel packages where they can bring their family and friends and have memorable experiences.
Formal offer to reopen
Kubayi-Ngubane’s comments come after David Maynier of the Western Cape said the province will file a formal request with the national government on the reopening of international travel.
In a webinar on Thursday (Aug 28), Maynier said the province was currently focused on reopening domestic travel, but would present a presentation to the government on opening the borders next week.
Maynier said the resumption of international travel was imperative for the province’s economy, as a large proportion of tourists are foreigners. International tourists tend to stay longer and spend more, he said.
“We are in the process of compiling a presentation, which we will present next week. Then we will engage with the national government to open borders to provide international travel.
“We have no certainty about a proposed (opening) date at this stage, but we will engage with the national government on this issue.”
The Department of Tourism published a draft recovery plan in early August, outlining the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and how the tourism industry is likely to be affected over the next year.
The document provides a detailed breakdown of international and local projections for when tourism is likely to open, using models that take into account various infection patterns and recovery scenarios.
The policy document notes that the reopening of international tourism and the country’s borders will depend not only on South Africa’s response to the coronavirus, but also on 44 primary source markets that drive international tourism to the country.
With these data, the department forecasts a reopening of global tourism in a wide window: between August 2020 and early 2021.
“This scenario assumes that the overall recovery trajectory observed persists and that progress toward improved treatments for Covid-19 by the end of 2020 continues, with an accessible vaccine hitting the market in late 2021,” the department said.
“Given that indications of international border reopening remain speculative at the time of writing this article, these dates represent the earliest probable date international travel will resume. “
The model below shows the estimated travel periods for South Africa’s major ‘countries of origin’.
- The model is established between August 2020 and May 2021;
- For domestic trips (trips within the respective country), the opening window is set between August 2020 and mid-February 2021;
- For international travel (to and from the respective country), the opening window is set between November 2020 and May 2021.
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