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International travel is on a steady rise and those in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors are excited by the data. One of the regions showing a strong upswing in visitor numbers from South Africa is Mauritius and experts believe this a strong signal that the destination is recovering.
They have also predicted that the remainder of the year should see further growth.
The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) recently shared data that shows that approximately 33,601 South African passengers arrived in Mauritius between January and May 2022.
“Compared to the 2019 figure of 41,811 for the same period this is an extremely positive bounce-back.
The arrival figures for April and May 2022, at 10,965 and 7,338 respectively, are up by a few hundred against the 2019 numbers of 10,089 and 7,883 for the two months,” explained MTPA.
“It is encouraging to see the arrivals numbers from South Africa to Mauritius for the first five months of 2022 rivalling those of pre-Covid 2019, and we expect this positive and upward trend to continue through the year and into 2023. We continue to work hard to promote this destination to our key markets globally, of which South Africa is a very important one,” remarked MTPA director Arvind Bundhun.
The upswing in visitor numbers also comes in the wake of Mauritius announcing an easing of Covid restrictions from 01 July in response to its successful vaccination campaign and resultant low infection rate in the country.
This was coupled with an easing of the requirement for wearing facemasks which has now been relaxed, except in public areas such as hospitals, port, airport and public transport.
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Since then tests for vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers upon arrival have also been waived.
“We are extremely pleased to note that we have reached a milestone of over half a million visitors since 01 October. I am confident that our post-pandemic recovery is well underway and, with the easing of sanitary measures, bookings for the second half of 2022 will be stimulated,” added Bundhun.
The island destination remains a popular destination for South African travellers who currently rank in third position behind France and the UK and ahead of Germany and Reunion in terms of the top five markets that bring visitors to the dreamy destination.
How long does it take? A four-hour flight from Johannesburg
Which airlines offer flights to Mauritus? Air Mauritius, SAA or FlySafair,
Do South Africans need Visas? No visa
Do I need a PCR test before I travel/when I land? At the time of writing, no
“Mauritius offers something for everyone. Beyond the beautiful sea, white sandy beaches and luxurious resorts is an island rich in diversity and adventure that is waiting to be explored. As a melting pot of exotic cultures, the sights, sounds, tastes and experiences one unearths in Mauritius are completely unique, offering visitors a truly immersive travel experience that one usually associates with long-haul destinations,” concluded Bundhun.
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Compiled by Kaunda Selisho
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