City state has strict penalties for quarantine dodgers
Free access to AppleTV+ shows
ETHEKWINI WELCOMES THE EASING OF TOURISM TRADE
EThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, has welcomed the relaxation of restrictions on tourism activities announced by the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on 30 July. After months of restricted trade in the tourism sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Durban and the rest of South Africa will be easing measures to accommodate tourism related activities.
Mayor Kaunda said: “We have noted with excitement the announcement by the Minister of further relaxation of the lockdown restrictions. This will have a positive impact on the tourism and hospitality sectors which will play a significant role in our effort to reignite the City’s economy and we are ready and open for business. Testament to that is also the recent announcement by Toyota that they will produce their first hybrid synergy drive car in Durban as part of a R2.5 billion investment in a new production line. We look forward to the systematic opening up of more industries which will bring further economic boost to our City.”
Mayor Kaunda further highlighted that, as the City of Durban they welcome these relief measures that have been approved by Cabinet. “We presented our Economic Recovery Plan in May and we believe that we are steadily moving along on the road to recovery in the tourism sector. We have sought innovative ways to remain top of minds with our stakeholders through the virtual events that we have hosted thus far during the lockdown and believe that these relief measures will bring much needed revenue for role-players in this sector”.
In her address, Minister Kubai-Ngubane announced that Cabinet has approved the move to extend the restaurant curfew to 10 pm to allow for uninterrupted dinner service at restaurants; restrictions around leisure travel have been eased with accommodation for intra-provincial leisure now being allowed. Tour operators will also be allowed to conduct guided tours subject to conditions within the new regulations.
“It has been a very tough time for all tourism related activities, not only affecting business but each and every one of us, missing dining to our favourite restaurants, booking into hotels, visits to the beach and spending time enjoying the Durban all year summer,” said Kaunda. “This announcement by the Minister will provide a welcome relief to all who are involved in the sector as well as to the public as we slowly re-integrate tourism activities in our society”.
ENDS
Issued by the Mayor’s Office
For more information contact Mayoral Spokesperson Mluleki Mntungwa on 060 974 1140
As you would have seen from our communications earlier this week, the Department of Tourism published its draft Tourism Recovery Plan and is requesting input from industry.
SATSA will be submitting a collated and coordinated response. This is an excellent opportunity for members to make their voices heard and to be part of the official structured engagement.
Should you wish to funnel your responses through SATSA’s submission, please send the following to Lebo@satsa.co.za by close of business 12 August 2020.
- Company Name
- Contact Person
- Contact Email
- Recovery Plan input:
– Page number
– Header
– Comment
We will collate all responses and submit to Department of Tourism on 15 August 2020.
To download the Draft Tourism Recovery Plan, click here.
The South African National Parks (SANParks) has welcomed the announcement by the Tourism Minister on the relaxation of travel and leisure regulations.
“We appreciate that after four months of confinement, the public is keen to engage with nature. However, we are obligated to ensure that the opening of our national parks for accommodation is done under the strictest health protocols to safeguard both our staff and guests,” said SANParks CEO Mketeni.
Mketeni said SANParks is likely to implement some additional visitor management procedures to ease entry into the parks and further mitigate the risk of the spread of Coronavirus.
He said in due course, SANParks will make further announcements regarding the opening dates of accommodation in individual parks as and when they are comfortable with their state of preparedness to welcome visitors back.
“We therefore beg your indulgence as the opening needs to be done in a responsible manner for the safety and enjoyment of all our guests,” Mketeni said.
As per the Minister’s announcement, overnight accommodation is only permissible for residents of the various provinces that the respective National Parks are located in.
Therefore guests will be required to provide proof of residence at the time of booking accommodation and again when checking in. Inter-provincial visitors will be prohibited entry into the parks.
Tour operators will be allowed to conduct guided tours in open safari vehicles, subject to directives that are still to be communicated and gazetted.
Self-drive guests are restricted to a 70% vehicle capacity, as per the Department of Transport’s regulations published on 2 April.
Further details for overnight accommodation protocols will be available on www.sanparks.org.
With the travel ban on scheduled passenger flights entering its fifth month, South Africans, who are renowned for ‘making a plan’, have embraced...
South African National Parks (SANParks) will soon make an announcement on the opening of accommodation in individual parks following the Minister of...
Namibia has today (August 3) opened its borders to tourists from a selected list of international markets as it gears up for the reopening of the...
Iata forecasts that African airlines are set to lose US$2bn (R34,5bn) this year, and that the industry is at risk of collapse without urgent...
Watch Vice President of the South African Medical Research Council, Professor Jeffrey Mphahlele talk to Travel News publisher, Anton Marsh,...