Perhaps more so now than during the first two waves, the Government is faced with the almost impossible task of preventing significant collateral damage through stricter COVID19-regulation, including the loss of jobs and livelihoods.   

While there have been calls for stricter lockdown regulations including an outright ban on alcohol, FEDHASA welcomes the Gauteng government’s indication that it would oppose such actions because this could be detrimental to the economy of the province.

Responsible trade within the tourism and hospitality sectors as well as the general public’s adherence to health and safety protocols as set out by Government remain key to the sector’s survival.

The statistics released this week, by Statistics South Africa with focus on the accommodation and the food & beverage for the month April 2021, have shown income from accommodation decreased by 32,2% in the three months ended April 2021 compared with the three months ended April 2020. The negative contributors to this decrease were: hotels (-40,4% and contributing -27,3 percentage points); and ‘other’ accommodation (-18,6% and contributing -5,2 percentage points).

These statistics indicate how financially damaged the sector was and it does not bode well for the survival of the hospitality and tourism industry if there are further and harsher restrictions imposed.

“The efforts taken to secure vaccines and speed-up the vaccination programme is a welcome development. However, mass vaccination of South African residents is the only solution in the industry’s fight against COVID-19 – and we still believe it to be the way forward,” says Rosemary Anderson, FEDHASA National Chairperson.

“As such our whole industry’s survival depends on our Government being able to ensure the majority of our adult population can be offered the vaccine as a matter of urgency.”

“FEDHASA has designed a robust set of health and safety protocols for COVID-19, and our members are acutely aware of the importance of adhering to these standards in order to safeguard the public and be able to continue trading. Although we are in the grip of the third wave, there is no sector as cognisant of the direct relationship between adherence to protocols and the recovery of the sector than the hospitality and tourism industry, “she concludes.  

“The Flight Centre Travel Group supports the President’s measures to flatten the curve and would like to assure holidaymakers that leisure travel, as well as business travel, can still take place,” says Andrew Stark, Managing Director of the Flight Centre Travel Group Middle East and Africa. “Whereas under the previous Level 3 regulations, interprovincial leisure travel was prohibited, this is not the case under the new and adjusted Level 3 regulations. Both domestic and international leisure and business travel is permitted subject to strict health and hygiene protocols.”

The Government Gazette indicates that international travel can take place from and to OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town International Airport. Travellers entering South Africa will need to provide a valid certificate of a negative COVID test not older than 72 hours. If travellers fail to submit a certificate as proof of a negative test, they will be required to do an antigen test on arrival at their own costs. If they test positive for COVID -19, they will be required to quarantine at their own expense.

The Flight Centre Travel Group addresses the most pressing questions from travellers under the adjusted Level 3 regulations:

Can I still travel locally and internationally?

Yes, local and international travel for both business and leisure purposes is allowed under the adjusted Level 3 regulations. Although the President has cautioned against travelling to COVID hotspots, it is not prohibited.  

Can I break curfew to get to the airport in time for my flight?

Travellers will need to abide by the nationwide curfew. This means that they will need to be at their accommodation establishment from 21h00 to 06h00 unless they’ve obtained a special permit or are attending a security of medical emergency.

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma clarified during a press briefing that international travellers arriving after curfew are advised to carry their flight ticket or their stamped passport as proof of their reason to break curfew to reach their final destination. The Flight Centre Travel Group is investigating whether special permissions can be obtained for travel reasons for local travellers. In the meantime, please reach out to your Flight Centre expert for the latest updates on your travel arrangements.

Will pools be open at my hotel?

Although public swimming pools will be closed under Level 3, there remains some confusion as to whether hotel swimming pools that are open exclusively to hotel guests would be classified as public. It is advised to check with your hotel whether or not their pool will be open for use. 

Can I go to the beach?

Beaches in all hotspots (including most beaches in KZN and the Western Cape) are closed as are dams, lakes and rivers.

Are game reserves open?

Game parks, botanical gardens, aquariums and zoos where access control measures and entry limitations are already in place, will remain open to the public.

What are some of the changes I can expect during my trip?

•  Travellers will need to wear a mask when in a public place.
• Alcohol will not be served at restaurants as the consumption of liquor in public places is prohibited. This means that the tasting and selling of liquor to the public by registered wineries, wine farms and other similar establishments is also not allowed.
• All restaurants, museums, galleries, casinos, theatres and cinemas will need to close by 20h00.

“Although the travel experience might look a little different during these difficult times, people still have the flexibility to travel, to get outside and spend quality time with their loved ones,” says Stark. “We are just being asked to travel responsibly and follow a number of rules intended to keep all South Africans safe and healthy.”

Flight Centre has put in place a dedicated information hub for travellers where they will find extensive information on all possible travel questions. However, during these uncertain times, it can be comforting to speak to a human travel expert. “Our experts are just a phone call, chat or e-mail away for customers who are feeling uncertain or would like to have more information on their travel options,” concludes Stark.

Flight Centre experts can be contacted on 0877405000 to assist you with any travel-related questions. Alternatively, our customers can contact our Customer Experience team on 0877405080.

While the regulations themselves do not allow for inter-provincial domestic leisure travel, as indicated by Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, the gazetted regulations allow travel for leisure (for anything that is allowed under level 3), such as golf, hiking, going to a casino or a restaurant, visiting game reserves. The regulations also allow “formally accredited and licenced accommodation” to operate. Nowhere in the gazetted regulations does it state that domestic leisure overnight stays will not be allowed.

In his presidential address on 17 June, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that there would be an easing of restrictions on certain economic activities including “accredited and licenced accommodation” with the exception of home sharing accommodation like AirBnB. The Presidency confirmed at the time that “commercially licenced accommodation” would be “allowed” at Level 3 with “strict health protocols in place”.

In his preamble he said “this pandemic has also been a global economic crisis of ever-increasing proportion”. The President added that some businesses have had no revenue and people have had no income for 80 days and that even with government’s various support packages, there is a limit to how long these businesses can remain closed.  The opening of accommodation is in support of this statement to save jobs and livelihoods through enabling more businesses to trade.

Tourism Regulations issued on Friday do outline specific economic exclusions, including  short-term home-sharing, letting, leasing, rental for leisure purposes, and for now, domestic passenger air travel for leisure purposes. There are no exclusions outlined for intra-provincial domestic leisure overnight stays in “accredited and licenced accommodation”.

Further, nowhere in the regulations is there a requirement for restaurants to restrict the number of persons allowed to no more than 50% of capacity or 50 guests, contrary to reports that have been circulating.

The regulations state: “All gatherings are prohibited except a gathering at … restaurants, subject to strict adherence to all health protocols and social distancing measures as provided for in directions that must be issued by the responsible Cabinet member, after consultation with the Cabinet member responsible for health”.

The Tourism Sector has worked tirelessly to ensure that stringent health and safety protocols have been put in place to welcome and keep safe, not only business travellers, but also leisure travellers. These have been issued by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa and can be viewed here.