Calls for the government to help boost local travel and tourism

Although the tourism industry was optimistic about the upcoming Easter holidays, several tourism industry players have called for the government to help boost local travel and tourism.

According to the national coordinator of SA Township and Village Tourism, Thato Mothopeng, the government needed to fast-track rebuilding the country. The South African Medical Association (Sama) said the ending of the national state of disaster would benefit the economy.

“The Covid pandemic is now being better controlled and managed and the country’s healthcare system is better placed to deal with the virus than before,” the association said.

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The National Liquor Traders Association (NLTA) responded to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech on Tuesday and said the national state of disaster had outlived its “usefulness”.

“It only sought to concentrate power on the president, who was treading the thin line of dictatorship removed, not just rhetoric,” NLTA’s Lucky Ntimane said.

“We call on President Ramaphosa to engage with the alcohol industry to explore sustainable means of fighting Covid without subjecting those dependent on the alcohol industry to poverty.”

During the “family meeting”, Ramaphosa said the national state of disaster will end as soon as public comment on the regulations published by the minister of health was completed.