COVID Impact on Tourism in South Africa

[Lisbeth]

and I am too lazy to ask Google

[Mel]

I'm not interested enough to make the effort. Thought Peter might be able to answer me offhand.

[Lisbeth]

Scrap PCR test for vaccinated travellers to attract tourists to SA, says industry body

Carin Smith | 15.10.2021

• SA requires international arrivals to provide a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours, including from fully vaccinated people.

• Local industry bodies are now calling
  for this requirement to be scrapped for fully vaccinated people wanting to come to SA, a move that could put SA ahead of its biggest long-haul rival, Australia.

• PCR tests are expensive and create additional hassles, including when visitors to SA also travel to neighbouring countries.

The head of a local tourism body has called for authorities to scrap the requirement of a negative PCR test for fully vaccinated international travellers entering South Africa.

David Frost, CEO of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), which represents the inbound tourism sector, says doing this will create a massive opportunity to lure travellers from important source markets like the US and UK to SA while the country's biggest long-haul competitor, Australia, is still in stricter lockdown.

As the tourism sector reels from the impact of the pandemic, countries are vying to be the destination of choice for tourism spend. Research by the World Travel and Tourism Council, which represents the private sector, indicates that having tougher travel restrictions than its neighbouring countries hampers a country's tourism recovery.

Countries that do not require a prior negative PCR test from fully vaccinated international visitors include France, Germany, Switzerland, the UK and Dubai, according to Jacques Simons of Visas Zone.

With South Africa's peak holiday season around the corner, Northern Hemisphere tourists are seeking sunny destinations. The UK, traditionally SA's biggest source of international tourists, recently took SA off its so-called red list of countries for which stricter travel regulations applied. This was after an intense lobbying effort initially led by the private sector. SATSA estimates that more than 300 000 British passport holders could now decide to visit friends and family or take advantage of holiday deals across southern Africa.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism sector contributed more than R426 billion to the economy and contributed to creating 1.5 million jobs, according to SA Tourism.

That is why the Tourism Business Council of SA (TBCSA), which represents the private sector, is calling for the PCR test requirement to be scrapped for fully vaccinated travellers to SA.

"It is just logical. If someone is fully vaccinated, it means the Covid-19 risk has been mitigated. This is the way the world is moving and we have to move with it," says Frost. "SA must make the move to position it as a long-haul destination which does not require a PCR test for fully vaccinated travellers. It saves them hassle and cost. Currently, it is akin to the hassle that was created when SA required unabridged birth certificates."

Many international tourists to SA also want to visit tourist attractions in neighbouring countries. Like SA, the likes of Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia also require negative PCR tests of not older than 72-hours, meaning even fully vaccinated travellers will need to do additional PCR tests, including before returning to SA. This is a major inhibitor to the recovery of regional travel, argues Bradley Gordon, head of aviation finance for Africa at Investec.

"We need to look at the issue in broad terms. The majority of travel companies sell SA as a destination along with a visit at the same time, to other countries in the region. The PCR test requirement limits their choices. Then they might rather look at destinations in East Asia as easier option," cautions TBCSA CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa. "The issue is simplicity. It is a different matter to do an antigen test upon arrival, for example."

TBCSA is hearing from agents selling SA as a destination that the country will be losing tourists as travel companies are recommending places where tourists can go and also visit other countries in a region and then come back to the same country without having to do more PCR tests.

"We as the hospitality industry tried to develop Covid-19 protocols consistent with global markets to bring a sense of security and trust for international travellers," says Jeremy Clayton, chair of the hospitality body FEDHASA in the Cape.

[Lisbeth]

That's talking!

[Lisbeth]

Covid- 19: Devastating impacts, inspiring recovery

Published on:14/10/2021
Posted by: Anna Spenceley

Acknowledgements: This article is drawn from a recent report from the Luc Hoffmann Institute by the author, “The Future of Nature-based Tourism: Impacts of COVID-19 and paths to sustainability”¹ and other resources.

What impacts has the COVID-19 pandemic had on nature-based tourism in Africa?

Click on the title to read the whole article!

[Richprins]

They definitely don't need the PCR tests any more.

[Lisbeth]

I hope not, because it makes everything sooo complicated......and it is not for free anymore

There will probably arrive an official announcement soon

[Mel]

Germany reopens to SA travellers tomorrow – and drops quarantine for the fully vaccinated

Business Insider SA
Jan 03, 2022, 05:50 PM

# Germany no longer considers South Africa a “virus variant area” and will be reopening to travellers from SA on Tuesday.
# South Africa, along with neighbouring countries, was classified as a “virus variant area” following to detection of Omicron, which limited travel to German citizens, legal residents, and members of their immediate families.
# These exempted travellers, whether fully vaccinated or not, were forced to endure a two-week quarantine.
# Now, as a merely “high-risk area”, South African travellers will be allowed into Germany without needing to quarantine, if they can prove their Covid-19 vaccination or recovery status.
# For more stories, go to www.BusinessInsider.co.za.


Germany will ease restrictions on South African travellers from Tuesday, following a decision to clear out its list of countries considered to be “virus variant areas”.

Controversial travel bans imposed on South Africa following the detection of the Omicron variant in late November are slowly being rescinded. South Africa’s work in detecting, and notifying the global community, of Omicron in late November was rewarded with far-reaching travel restrictions which decimated the tourism sector’s prospects of prosperous summer season.

The United Kingdom was one of the first countries to put South Africa on its restrictive red list. Around 70 countries followed the UK’s lead in the weeks that followed. But it was also one of the earlier countries to relax its restrictions, after admitting that Omicron was quickly becoming dominant, due to community transmissions, in mid-December.


Since then, countries like the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and Denmark have reinstated flights and permitted entry to travellers from South Africa. International travel restrictions are however, being dismantled much slower than they were implemented in reaction to Omicron.

Germany is the latest country to revise its restrictions on South African travellers. Like the UK, Germany placed its toughest restrictions on South Africa, categorising the country, and some of its neighbours, as a “virus variant area”.


This classification, imposed a day after scientists from South Africa’s Network for Genomic Surveillance announced the detection of Omicron, limited entry into Germany from SA to German citizens, legal residents and members of their immediate family. These exempted travellers, whether vaccinated or not, have been subjected to a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI), responsible for disease control and prevention, announced sweeping changes to its list of “virus variant areas” on Thursday. South Africa, along with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe will be reclassified as “high-risk areas”. This takes effect on Tuesday.

Foreigners travelling from “high-risk areas” will be allowed to enter Germany and are required to complete a digital entry registration. This form requires personal details, like the traveller’s vaccination status, negative Covid-19 test result, flight details, and itinerary.

Every traveller over the age of six needs to carry proof of their Covid-19 status when entering Germany. This proof includes a negative PCR test result, proof of vaccination, or proof of recovery.

A negative PCR test result must be obtained within 72 hours before arriving in Germany.

Official proof of vaccination – in physical card or digital form – needs to include personal data of the person vaccinated, like a passport or ID number, date and number of vaccinations, and name of the vaccine used. Travellers are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after their final dose.

A positive PCR test result carried out at least 28 days but no more than six months previously can be used as proof of recovery from Covid-19.

Travellers who successfully prove they’ve been fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 before travelling to Germany will not need to quarantine. Without this proof, travellers will be required to quarantine for 10 days. This quarantine can be ended after 5 days if the traveller provides another post-arrival, negative Covid-19 test result.

(Compiled by Luke Daniel)

[Mel]

[Pumbaa]

I was also happy about that as we do now only have 35 days left