The reasons for decline in tourism arrivals in SA

[harrys]

Full salary? Isn't the salary paid by the Union and normally they do not paid it 100%

They get full salary(paid by employer) , unions only look after themselves, they don't really care about the workers

[Lisbeth]

That's ridiculous The Union leaders are only caring about their careers That's the same all over.

[Richprins]

Covid-19, strikes and lack of service delivery hamper tourism recovery
The Mpumalanga tourism industry is still reeling from the damage done by the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic during the past year, but there is more to it.
10 mins ago
Linzetta Calitz




The outgoing president of the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism (KLCBT), Oupa Pilane.

According to outgoing president of the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism (KLCBT), Oupa Pilane, Covid-19 can not be blamed for all the woes of the industry. Pilane addressed attendees of the KLCBT’s annual general meeting today at The Arena at Emnotweni.

He had strongly worded messages for the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport in Mpumalanga, as well as for the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) .

“The Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport makes promises, but does not follow through, and roads to tourist attractions that are not maintained have severe consequences for the entire tourism industry,” he said.

The recent industrial action by MTPA workers was also met with criticism from Pilane.


“It happens at least twice or thrice a year that we are being held at ransom by strikes.”

He told MTPA CEO, Johannes Nobunga, who also attended the event, that a permanent solution needs to be found for this issue, because “it has a direct impact on tourism”.

As a result of these factors, Pilane said, the tourism industry can only hope to recover by 2023/4.

He said the recovery process is further hampered by the reference – inside as well as outside the country – to the “South African variant” of Covid-19. He blamed the SABC in this regard.

According to the World Health Organisation the official name for this variant is “501Y.V2, because of a N501Y mutation”.



Pilane also mentioned the recent statements by the United States of America (USA) about the safety of South Africa as a tourism destination, “making it sound as though every person you get into contact with can infect you with Covid-19 and you will get mugged at every single traffic light”. He went on to say that the USA “is not particularly better off”.

Further, according to Pilane, who is also the chairperson of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) Mpumalanga Chapter, another factor hampering the progress and recovery of tourism in the country is that “we do not market our tourism products” to neighbouring countries.

“This will be crucial in the coming years, seeing as tourism the country receives from key markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany and the USA is still 90 per cent lower than it was before Covid-19,” he said.



Pilane went on to mention that the benchmark for health standards in a country is the number of vaccinations having been administered to its citizens. Here, South Africa is severely lacking.

“Less than 20 000 people have been vaccinated in a province (Mpumalanga) of about 4 million people.” He said at least 150 000 people need to be vaccinated daily for the practice to have the desired effect.

One positive that he highlighted was the fact that, after having met with the Department of Health, employees in the tourism sector are now considered to be frontline workers, and can be considered for the vaccine.

https://lowvelder.co.za/726400/covid-19 ... -recovery/

[RogerFraser]

‘Violent, dangerous, unstable’: US updates travel advice for South Africa
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/us ... 4-warning/

A quick glance at the US State Department's travel advice page for South Africa is an eye-opener - and COVID-19 isn't the only concern listed here.



The US State Department has updated its travel advice for South Africa this week – slapping a Level 4 ‘do not visit’ warning on our fair country. At first glance, it seems the concerns are mainly motivated by COVID-19 and the 501Y.V2 variant that originated in Mzansi – but several jarring, non-pandemic-related advisories have also been issued.

US TRAVEL ADVICE FOR SOUTH AFRICA – IT GOES BEYOND COVID-19
Level 4 is the toughest possible travel warning the United States Government will give out. We’re on the same naughty step as North Korea, Libya, and Afghanistan. However, we’re joined by most of mainland Europe, and a whole host of diplomatically-friendly countries too. About 80% of all countries have been put onto the red list, solely for health reasons.

Indeed, the first paragraph on the State Department’s page for South Africa reads amicably enough…

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for South Africa due to COVID-19 – indicating a very high level of coronavirus in the country. Visit the Embassy’s COVID-19 page for more information on COVID–19 in South Africa.” | US State Department

LEVEL 4 TRAVEL WARNING FOR SOUTH AFRICA DUE TO ‘CRIME, UNREST’
Then things take a different turn. Unlike most other countries busted down to Level 4, the US warns against ‘violent crime, attacks on vehicles, and the threat of high-risk protests’ in its assessment of South Africa.

Aside from health directives, we’ve got advisories for crime and civil unrest. Even a cautious mention of ‘natural disasters’ was published, with US officials still wary of water shortages in certain provinces…

“Violent crime, such as armed robbery, rape, carjacking, mugging, and ‘smash-and-grab’ attacks on vehicles, is common. There is a higher risk of violent crime in the central business districts of major cities after dark. Furthermore, demonstrations, protests, and strikes occur frequently.

“These can develop quickly without prior notification, often interrupting traffic, transportation, and other services; such events have the potential to turn violent. South Africa’s Western, Eastern, and Northern Capes are experiencing a severe drought. Water supplies in some areas may be affected.”

TRAVEL ADVICE FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Charming; and the review from Team Biden doesn’t stop there either. The White House has shared a list of guidance for travellers to South Africa, telling visitors to ‘avoid informal settlements’ and ‘keep all doors locked’:

– “Avoid walking alone, especially after dark.”
– “Avoid visiting informal settlement areas unless you are with someone familiar with the area.“
– “Do not display cash or valuables.“
– “Drive with doors locked and windows closed.“
– “Always carry a copy of your passport and visa (if applicable). Keep original documents in a secure location.“

[RogerFraser]

FYI Link to Advisory

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... %20common.

[Lisbeth]

Mr. Pilane has not got it all right. Until the Covid-19 is around it is the one reason for no travelling. When the war against the pandemic has been won all the other factors come to light and the state of the roads is certainly not the most important. It is much more important for the people who have to drive on those roads every day. The most main factor, whatever he sustains, is the criminality!! The potholes are a real nuisance, but being hijacked is much worse

[Richprins]

Can't argue with the fears of crime and violence, all true!

[Lisbeth]

Talking about road maintenance.......



Cape Town sinkhole causes chaos on Tuesday morning
The incident has been confirmed by both the City of Cape Town and a prominent road safety network, 1SecondLater. The recovery work has already begun, but the nightmare may only just be starting for residents in Vredehoek. Fresh from being at the mercy of the large-scale Cape Town fires last week, locals are now facing water outages on Tuesday:

[Richprins]

I must say the Western Cape is famous for fixing roads quickly!

[Lisbeth]

The whole street should have been repaired at least 6 months ago