SA tourism can now begin to rake in the rands

It would be difficult to find anyone in the local tourism industry who could see some upside to the Covid-19 economic devastation.

Yet, with global restrictions still in place in many areas, it’s not only travel into South Africa which is affected.

South Africans who may have been planning to go abroad will probably put their plans on hold for most of this year – which is probably how long it will take for vaccinations and “health passports” to become widespread.

That could well mean that those who would have been going overseas for holidays this year will choose to do so at home.

And, given that South Africa is still much more affordable than its foreign counterparts, our local travellers might feel ready to splash out.

At the same time, there are so many more people who have been pent-up for too long by lockdown restrictions and, especially, the closure of beaches and places of scenic beauty… that they’re raring to get back out there.

The horrific impact of Covid-19 and lockdowns on our tourism sector is only too evident in the woefully low number of foreign arrivals in December and January, but also at the sub-economic room occupancy rates in those hotels which have not closed or gone into mothballs.

However, those in the business believe there are glimmers of hope for domestic tourism as people realise the local option is less hassle, less expensive and probably safer than travelling to countries which are, or have been, Covid-19 hotspots.

This is the time for local operators to be at the top of their game and to give locals the same red-carpet treatment as they do foreigners.

Some businesses also need a headspace rearrangement to come to the realisation that their future may be in rands rather than dollars, euros and pounds.

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