South Africa has been slapped with numerous travel bans since COVID hit, particularly since December 2020 when a new COVID strain was first detected in the country.

But things are looking up. The news that the 35- to 49-year-old age group can register for their vaccinations came even earlier than expected. Last weekend, over one million people registered on the government’s Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) portal in just 24 hours.

The real cherry on the top this week was the news that more and more European countries are lifting restrictions for South Africans, especially for those who’ve had their jabs.  Finally, dreams of picnicking under the Eiffel Tower or feasting on oodles of Swiss chocolate in Switzerland, are cautiously, closer than ever.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Where can I travel if I’m vaccinated?

Most recently, Switzerland was the first to make an announcement that vaccinated South Africans are welcome to visit, followed by France and Canada. All vaccinated South Africans are welcome to enter France with Canada opening its borders on 9 September 2021.

Many South Africans are also eagerly waiting to jet off to paradise when Mauritius fully opens for vaccinated South Africans from 1 October 2021, just in time for the popular December holiday season.

Travel and business leaders have welcomed the speeding up of South Africa’s vaccination process, despite its slow start, with open arms.

“We’re incredibly excited by the ramping up of the vaccination process with the over 35s flooding in to get their jabs,” says Andrew Stark, MD Flight Centre Travel Group. “In the case of the tourism, travel and hospitality industry, in particular, and its far-reaching supply chain, we are deeply reliant on the widespread vaccination of South Africans to protect against the devastating loss of life and livelihoods.

“The only way to give our international source markets – travellers and airlines – confidence in reopening the door to South Africa is for us to reach the herd immunity threshold of vaccinating approximately 67% of our adult population as quickly as possible.”

It’s not only destinations that are beginning to open their borders to vaccinated South Africans. Many popular cruise lines, such as Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) are welcoming vaccinated passengers onboard.

“As cruising resumes, all guests and crew must be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to departure. Guest vaccination requirements are currently for all sailings embarking through October 31, 2021,” says Nick Wilkinson, Regional Vice President Business Development Middle East & Africa for Norwegian Cruise Line. 

“Along with proof of vaccination, all guests will be required to take a COVID-19 antigen test, administered and paid for by the cruise line, and receive a negative result prior to boarding. Our guests’ safety is our number one priority,” he adds. 

Struggling to find reliable information on where you can go?

The Flight Centre Travel Group reports that the most enquiries they are dealing with in recent months are still for international travel. Commonly asked questions are around a destination’s entry and quarantine regulations as well as required travel documents.

“Travellers can get the latest COVID travel restrictions worldwide in real-time by searching the newly revamped FCTG Travel News website,” says Andrew Stark, MD Flight Centre Travel Group Middle East and Africa. “Our interactive COVID-19 Travel Map allows you to easily search destinations that are open for travel, identify travel restrictions and quarantine rules. The site is powered by Sherpa providing real-time information, although we would also advise to check the information with your Flight Centre Travel Expert as the information changes day to day, and sometimes even hour to hour.”

What you need to know:

The situation is fluid and changing incredibly rapidly. Entry regulations and required documents differ from country to country and airline to airline.

Vaccines that are accepted for entry also vary, as do the required documentation proving one’s vaccination status. If you’re travelling to Europe, both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved by the EMA – the vaccines currently distributed in South Africa.

“As yet, there is no industry or Government standard in place when it comes to an approved vaccination document required for international travel,” says Kim Taylor, Customer Experience Director at the Flight Centre Travel Group. “For now, Flight Centre’s recommendation is that a passenger reviews the specific entry requirements of the country they are visiting to determine how their proof of vaccination should be presented or captured prior to travel. Flight Centre Travel Experts are positioned to assist in interpreting this information.”

Countries that are allowing entry to non-vaccinated South Africans:

If you have yet to be granted the opportunity to get vaccinated, it does not mean that international travel is completely off the cards. In many countries, entry is open, and quarantine is not required as long as South Africans get a RT-PCR COVID test done before arriving. These countries include:

• Albania and North Macedonia: Open to travellers regardless of their vaccination status.
• Egypt
• The Maldives
• Zanzibar
• SADC countries, such as Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe

Despite recent hopes around travel to Seychelles, the ministry made an abrupt U-turn on a decision around travellers from South Africa. As it stands currently, Seychelles welcomes travellers (vaccinated and non-vaccinated) with the exception of those who have travelled to or those who reside in South Africa, up to two weeks before their arrival.

Precautions for safe travel – locally and abroad

Yes, you still need to take strict precautions even if you are vaccinated. Here are some guidelines for safe international travel and doing your part to help prevent the spread of the virus:

• Wear a mask.
• Carry hand sanitiser.
• Practice strict social distancing wherever you are.
• Self-isolate for 10 days and monitor for COVID systems after arriving back at home following your trip. It is also wise to get another COVID test 3 – 5 days after returning home.

Over 15 months of regulations have brought the hospitality sector to its knees with very little financial relief or prospects of recovery. For the sector to have any hope of getting back on its feet, it needs consistency and the rapid rollout of vaccinations, says Rosemary Anderson, National Chair of FEDHASA.

“The hospitality sector supports the President’s call for South Africans not to be complacent as the third wave surge declines. Along with a robust drive amongst South Africans to get vaccinated, this is crucial if we are to keep our businesses open and attempt to rebuild and restore the thousands of jobs that have been lost,” she says.  

Despite putting in place stringent health and hygiene protocols over a year ago, the hospitality sector is one that has not been able to operate fully, even when regulations were at Level 1. “Trying to continue to trade within the framework of Government restrictions that make it financially unviable to trade within is simply not sustainable. Businesses have been crippled as they fight to stay open and support livelihoods within the unsustainable restrictions,” says Anderson.

“We have always committed to adhering to the basic precautions to limit the spread of the virus to others and once again call on our guests and patrons to help us with this, so that as a sector we can continue to ensure their safety and that of our staff. As a collective, we can remove the ongoing limitations within which the hospitality sector has been forced to operate in for over a year.”

The announcement that the vaccination programme will be even further accelerated is a welcome relief for the hospitality sector, Anderson adds, not only because it will help to prevent from rolling from one wave to the other, but also because it is a key consideration amongst inbound international travellers who want to travel.

“While our main international source markets have been vaccinated, we have somewhat lagged in this space. Until we get to reach the point where adults in South Africa are vaccinated in substantial numbers, our sector will continue to be impacted by surges and low demand from our international customers. We call on South Africans to roll up their sleeves and get their #jab4tourism so that we can begin to rebuild and create the many thousands of jobs that hospitality and tourism are capable of doing if we just provide favourable travel conditions for our international guests within which to visit our magnificent country,” concludes Anderson. 

It says the roll-out delay to the second quarter of 2021, as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his latest address, will put South Africa at a significant disadvantage when it comes to restoring confidence in inbound international travel.

“With today’s approval of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the United Kingdom, we have renewed hope that rolling out an effective vaccine in South Africa sooner rather than later can become a reality,” says Rosemary Anderson, FEDHASA Chairperson.

The vaccine, which is also being tested in South Africa, is cheaper than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and can be stored at fridge temperature, making it far more accessible for use by GPs and even care homes.

“We need to bring South Africa in line with other countries that have already started this process so that the destination can be considered internationally viable. It is our view that travel will only return to some level of normality and by implication our tourism and hospitality sector can only begin its recovery when we start rolling-out the vaccine programme in South Africa in earnest. There simply is no other option but to fast track the vaccine programme.

“Our tourism and hospitality industry continues to be incredibly hard hit by the negative impact of COVID lockdowns. We cannot afford not to prioritise this very action that could save hundreds of thousands of livelihoods which hang in the balance,” concludes Anderson.