Hospitality association, FEDHASA, has welcomed today’s announcement by Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla, that proposals will be made to the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) in the coming week for amendments to travel requirements which could make it easier and cheaper to travel to South Africa or to return home to South Africa after a trip abroad.

Details will only be available after these proposed new regulations are presented to the NCCC and approved, he said in a press briefing on Friday, March 4.

Rosemary Anderson, FEDHASA National Chairperson, said the removal of the PCR test requirement for fully-vaccinated travellers is imperative if businesses are to begin rebuilding the tourism and hospitality sector.

“Many destinations have already removed the requirement for vaccinated travellers to furnish negative PCR tests, most recently South Africa’s neighbour, Botswana.

“Ease of accessibility plays a major role in travellers’ decision-making when selecting a destination and the PCR test has always been a major stumbling block hampering inbound travellers, who do not always have easy and affordable access to PCR testing in their own country,” she said.

Mandatory PCR tests become a huge cost and a major inconvenience when travellers come to Southern Africa to visit multiple destinations over the usual two-week or 10-day holiday period, added Anderson.

It has also been particularly damaging for South Africa as a cruise stop, due to the impossible logistics of organising PCR tests and processing them aboard cruise liners. This has reduced South Africa’s attractiveness as an itinerary stop.

The approval of these proposals would be welcome relief for hospitality businesses which are fighting to rebuild, preserve jobs and contribute to the economy, she added.