South Africa to dismiss pandemic restrictions fully for tourism boost

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

The South African Department of Health declared that the pandemic limitations would be dismissed completely – for assisting both domestic and international travel. It came as a huge relief for tourism in South Africa.

Among the conventional economic activities impacted by the pandemic-related seclusion, the tourism segment is so far the worst hit.

Before the pandemic, tourism in South Africa had a value of over R130 billion, making up 4.5% of the country’s employment, adding 3% directly to GDP.

Dr. Roelof Botha, an economic advisor said that in July 2021, only 5,000 tourists from abroad visited South Africa – which is a meager 2.6% of the visitor number arriving during the same month two years before. The revival of the domestic tourism industry is expected to compensate for international travel with the arrival of spring.

Sean Kritzinger, GILTEDGE Executive Chairman, expressed a big sigh of relief that the tourism industry is in its path of rebound.

Kritzinger said that the SA travel industry has not become normal yet, and have been under close observation for the last two years. The country was on a UK Red List that constrained the South African travel over December last year, with December being one of the top international seasons for the country. These factors caused a lot of damage to the travel industry. Kritzinger said that he believes that the cancelation of these rules will provide a big boost for tourism for South Africa and the larger Southern African region.

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