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With borders closed, South Africa is pinning its hopes on cash-strapped local tourists
Lisa Krohn’s Ashanti Lodge in Cape Town, normally packed with backpackers from around the world, is now practically empty. a sign of how the pandemic has crushed South Africa’s tourism industry.
“This place is like a morgue,” he said, staring down the deserted lobby of the Victorian-era building.
After a five-month lockdown, South Africa is easing domestic travel restrictions, allowing hotels to reopen. With international borders still closed, the government is pinning its hopes on domestic tourism, echoing a strategy that is being tested from Vietnam to New Zealand with mixed results.
South Africa remains one of the countries most affected by the pandemic However. And with recession-stricken consumers looking into their pockets, many in the industry foresee an uphill battle.
“When your tourism industry is fully geared towards international tourism, domestic tourism will not compensate“said Olivier Ponti, vice president of ForwardKeys, which studies global travel trends.” It is simply impossible. “
