The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) has objected to the 50% occupancy levels for all accommodation facilities – as contained in the gazetted regulations for the new adjusted lockdown alert Level 4 announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last night (June 27) – and expects this regulation to be changed by the end of today (June 28).
“This issue is being looked at urgently today,” said CEO of the TBCSA, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa.
MD of Wild Wings Safaris, Onne Vegter, said the issue of the 50% occupancy levels was not only important to urgently address for those currently occupying hotels, guest houses and lodges (amongst others) but for all the incoming bookings for the next two weeks.
“For example, South African National Parks has a number of bookings. Kruger National Park is chock-a-block. So it’s crucial that this be addressed ASAP,” said Vegter.
Clarity on transits
Speaking to Tourism Update this morning, Tshivhengwa clarified certain questions that arose following Ramaphosa’s announcement last night.
The confusion largely concerned passengers transiting Gauteng en-route to other destinations. Gauteng residents have been banned from undertaking any leisure trips in and out of the province. This is due to the fact that the majority (over 60%) of new COVID-19 cases (the Delta variant) have come from South Africa’s richest province.
“Therefore, to prevent the spread of infections, Gauteng residents have been restricted from travelling. However, travellers from other provinces in SA, from the rest of Africa and internationally, may still transit through Gauteng and through OR Tambo International Airport,” said Tshivhengwa.
“As far as this is concerned, should they need to stay in a hotel or any other formal accommodation facility while in transit, this will be permitted,” he clarified, adding that it was advisable for travellers to carry their itinerary as well as their air ticket and possible booking details for their visit in another province along with them.
As for road transport operators who may be picking guests up in Gauteng, or transporting them through Gauteng via road from other provinces or countries, they are travelling for work purposes and will be allowed to travel through Gauteng.
“They would, however, need to obtain a permit for travel,” emphasised Tshivhengwa. Instructions on where to obtain the forms are included in the gazette.
Food served to guests
While licensed restaurants, including hotel restaurants, will not be allowed to operate and overnight guests will have to be served meals in their rooms, Tshivhengwa added that there could be some leniency for those establishments, like lodges, who don’t operate licensed restaurants.
“Common sense dictates that a small lodge dining room does not constitute a gathering and therefore if a few guests are seated outside or in a small room keeping about five metres apart, it should be fine,” he said.
Tourism Update will keep a close eye on any changes to the gazetted regulations – click here to view – and will share this update as soon as possible.
