NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism

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NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
EDITION
JUNE 2021
                             01

NELSON
MANDELA     INSIDE THIS EDITION

MONTH
             Tourism Budget Vote 2021

             Dr Esther Mahlangu parters with Pareto
              Limited

             Deputy Minister of Tourism in Namibia

             Sam Nzima Lecture
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
INSIDE
                 THIS EDITION
3    EDITORIAL                                              CREDITS
44   TOURISM TRANSFORMATION AND RECOVERY A PRIORITY FOR
     THE SECTOR BUDGET VOTE 2021
                                                            PUBLISHER
56   WORLD RENOWNED DR ESTHER MAHLANGU BRINGS               Department of Tourism
     HER ARTISTIC FLAIR TO A REVAMPED SOUTHGATE MALL
     FOODCOURT                                              EDITOR
7                                                           Blessing Manale
8    THE CHANGING ECONOMICS OF TOURISM DURING COVID-19
     THEMBINKOSI LEHLOESA
8                                                           EDITORIAL TEAM
14   “THE MAKHONJWA MOUNTAINS ARE A MAJOR DRIVE FOR BOTH    Seapei Lebele
9    DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TOURISM”                    Johannes Mokou
                                                            Claudia Sebola
16
10   DOMESTIC TOURISM ACTIVATION IN KWAZULU-NATAL
                                                            Annah Mashile
18   TOURISM TRANSFORMATION COUNCIL SUPPORTS MINISTER’S
     COURT BID TO DEFEND TRANSFORMATION OF THE SECTOR       CONTRIBUTORS
12                                                          Tourism Update
19   DM GEORGE DOMESTIC TOURISM ACTIVATION
                                                            Monika Luel
     A BOOST FOR WOMEN IN WINE TOURISM                      Thembinkosi Lehloesa
20
                                                            Dr Laeticia Jacobs
14
21   TOURISM RECOVERY PLAN – THE ROAD TO RECOVERY           Darryl Erasmus

22
15   VACCINATION ROLL OUT-HOW FAR ARE WE?
                                                            DESIGN, LAYOUT AND PRINTING
23   THE FUTURE OF POST-COVID-19 GATHERINGS                 Spot the Print
16
24   SANPARKS INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME:
     OUR RESPONSE TO COVID-19                               DISCLAIMER
17
                                                            While every reasonable effort is made to maintain
25   TOP-FIVE TACTICS TO INFLUENCE A HOTEL’S POST-COVID     current and accurate information in this publication,
18   RECOVERY                                               the Department of Tourism accepts no responsibility
                                                            for any errors or omissions in this magazine. The use of
27   POLOKWANE GATHERS TO BREAK BREAD                       the content of this magazine is at the user’s own risk.
20                                                          The user assumes full responsibility and risk of loss
28   2021 YOUTH MONTH CELEBRATION
                                                            resulting from the use of the content of this magazine.
21   COVID, TOURISM AND THE WORLD                           The Department of Tourism or any of the legal entities
29
                                                            in respect of which information are contained in this
31   UPCOMING EVENTS                                        publication, or employees of the Department of Tourism
22                                                          or such entity, will not be liable for any special, indirect,
32   SAM NZIMA LECTURE – AN ICON REMEMBERED                 incidental, consequential, or punitive damages or any
24                                                          other damages whatsoever, whether in an action of
33   COVID19 TOURISM RELIEF FUND (TRF) DEMAND CONTINUES     contract, statute, tort (including, without limitation,
26                                                          negligence), or otherwise, relating to the use of this
34   DEPUTY MINISTER OF TOURISM FISH MAHLALELA ATTENDS UN   magazine or information.
     WORLD TOURISM MEETING FOR AFRICA IN NAMIBIA
27

28

30

31

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                                                                      JUNE 2021
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
EDITORIAL
                   W
                            elcome to this winter edition of      Programmes, which was established by the
                            Bojanala. This edition comes at a     Department and how this all-important
                            time when the country faces the       initiative aims to stimulate growth and
                   wrath of the third wave of this obstinate      development in the tourism sector through
                   pandemic. So far, more and more provinces      the provision of financial assistance to
                   have announced that they have indeed hit       tourism enterprises.
                   the higher than normal numbers. This has
                   resulted in the new measures which have        The edition also takes you through an array
                   recently been announced by the president,      of news, views and opinions. It also talk to
                   as he took the country on Alert Level 3.       the current vaccination roll out, the recently
                                                                  implemented infrastructure maintenance
                   While this is the case though, I want to ask   plan introduced by SanPark’s in response to
                   that we do not despair. We should find hope    the pandemic, as well as a voice from the
                   with our government as it continues to roll    Tourism Transformation Council of South
                   out its vaccination plan. We must remember     Africa (TTCSA) as they weighed in on the
                   nonetheless that while awaiting our turn for   current court bid.
                   vaccination, we should continue being extra
                   careful by observing the health protocols,     Also, you will read about the 1st memorial
                   especially in our various establishments.      lecture about Sam Nzima as the country hails
                                                                  him as an icon worthy to be remembered.
                   On that note, albeit quite worrying, you are   This lecture and remembrance of Nzima
                   once again most welcome to this Youth and      could not have come at a better time,
                   Mandela Month edition of our magazine. The     as the country commemorates the 45th
                   edition takes you through various segments     Anniversary youth of 1976. He will forever
                   which took place within the tourism space      be remembered for his photograph of the
                   between April and June.                        helpless Hector Pietersen .

                   Some amongst these include the Tourism         If you have not had a chance to read the
                   Budget Vote, which took place in May. Read     Tourism Recovery Plan, we have summarised
                   about the priorities and plans set by the      it for you. Thus, have a look at it as we
                   Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-         together walk this road to recovery.
                   Ngubane as well as the Deputy Minister of
                   Tourism, Fish Mahlalela for the year ahead.    Once more, thank you for your positive minds
                                                                  and as we weather the storm together, let us
                   As always, Minister and Deputy Minister        never leave other soldiers behind, no matter
                   had an opportunity to engage with the          how big or small they may seem. We need
                   sector before the Budget Vote. On the cards    every soldier on the other side of the river.
                   during these engagements were various
                   issues affecting the sector players as well    See you all in Spring
                   as a discussion around means to help them
                   through a recovery process.                    Blessing Manale

                   Read    about    the   Tourism    Incentive

3
        BOJANALA
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
TOURISM TRANSFORMATION
AND RECOVERY A PRIORITY
FOR THE SECTOR BUDGET
VOTE 2021
Staff Reporter

“G
         overnment will not be deterred              The Fund, launched in January this year, was        Ngubane highlighted that while some success
         in its efforts to accelerate the            designed to provide a combination of debt           has been recorded in the implementation of
         transformation of the tourism sector,”      finance and grant funding to facilitate equity      the Tourism Transformation Fund – which is
said Minister of Tourism Mmamoloko Kubayi-           acquisition as well as new project development      administered in partnership with the National
Ngubane during her Tourism Budget Vote               in the tourism sector by enterprises with 51%       Empowerment Fund – it would be restructured.
speech at a virtual parliament seating on            black ownership.                                    “This is in response to the feedback we received
Tuesday, 18 May 2021.                                                                                    from entrepreneurs on their experiences with
                                                     However, the processing of applications has         the Fund in its current form. We are currently
“As a Department we have responded to                been interdicted by the court following an          redesigning the Fund to be more efficient and
the growing sense of unease amongst the              application against the Fund by AfriForum and       more accessible to entrepreneurs and we will
previously disadvantaged emanating from              Solidarity.                                         be making an announcement in the coming
the slow progress of transformation of the                                                               weeks,” said the Minister.
economy – most visibly in the tourism                “Once again, the efforts to transform the
sector. Our Government has a responsibility          economy to make it more inclusive are being         Enterprise development – In order to increase
to transform the economy and to create an            frustrated. Our lawyers are studying the reasons    participation of the SMMEs in the tourism
inclusive non-racial society in which South          for the interdict and a response to this shall be   sector for inclusive economic growth, the
Africans share equitably in the wealth of our        provided,” said Kubayi-Ngubane.                     Department will expand its Incubation
country. In this effort we shall not be deterred,”                                                       Programme to support tourism youth-owned
she further said.                                    During the Budget Vote debate most political        SMMEs. This will include business support
                                                     parties welcomed the TEF; the most critical         and development through the addition of the
Kubayi-Ngubane was largely referring to              issue for tourism is to focus on stabilising the    Tourism Tech Incubator (in partnership with the
opposition – from other political parties (ACDP      sector in order to preserve jobs.                   Technology Innovation Agency – TIA). The Tour
and the Democratic Alliance) as well as trade                                                            Operators Incubator will also be implemented
union Solidarity and human rights lobby              Some of the key highlights of the Budget            in this financial year.
group, AfriForum – to the R1.2 billion Tourism       include:
Equity Fund (TEF).                                   Tourism Transformation Fund – Kubayi-               SA Tourism gets R1.3 bn – For the financial year

                                                                                                                                                      4
                                                                                                         JUNE 2021
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
2021/22, the Department’s budget allocation      presentation in Parliament, Deputy Minister of     the local government infrastructure and
amounts to about R2.4 billion, of which about    Tourism Fish Mahlalela said that he was proud      service to grow tourism, and accelerate service
R1.3 billion is earmarked for South African      of the collective resilience and determination     delivery through the District Development
Tourism.                                         of industry players in ensuring the successful     Model. Prioritised initiatives from our tourism
                                                 implementation of initiatives set to steer the     spatial masterplans will be integrated into the
Protecting infrastructure and assets –           sector on a path to recovery.                      plans for the OR Tambo District, eThekwini
Protecting and rejuvenating supply entails                                                          Metro, Pixley Ka Seme District and Namakwa
amongst others, the support for the protection   “In spite of an increase in the hosting of         District,” concluded Mahlalela.
of core tourism infrastructure and assets.       virtual and hybrid conferences, limitations
“Our total infrastructure commitment is just     on mass gatherings brought about by                Internal staff members at Tourism House in
under R700 million over a five-year period,”     COVID-19 preventative measures have had a          Sunnyside were also afforded an opportunity
said Kubayi-Ngubane, noting that an amount       profound impact on the meetings, incentives,       to fully engage the Budget Vote as they
of R270 million of the funds has been made       conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector. We      grabbed snack packs before the speech began
available to the Development Bank of Southern    will continue to support small and medium-         and relax in front of their computers and
Africa (DBSA) who serves as the implementing     sized events that drive domestic tourism,          laptops in their offices while watching their
agent for the Department’s infrastructure        through partnerships and an enhanced               principals delivering and debating the speech
programme. A further R222 million has been       National Convention Bureau at SA Tourism,          online. This was to educate and keep the staff
budgeted for this financial year.                capable and agile to harness their potential.”     informed of the Department’s plans towards
                                                                                                    the sector and country’s economic recovery.
Also speaking during the Tourism Budget Vote     “We will continue with our efforts to strengthen

5
                               BOJANALA
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
WORLD RENOWNED DR
ESTHER MAHLANGU
BRINGS HER ARTISTIC FLAIR
TO A REVAMPED SOUTHGATE
MALL FOODCOURT

W
        orld-renowned,   Dr    Esther    celebrate and reflect the richness       and disruptor from an early age and
        Mahlangu has partnered with      and diversity of the cultures of the     is renowned as the first person to
        Pareto Limited to create her     surrounding communities, the people of   reimagine Ndebele design onto modern
biggest indoor artistic works at the     the South. This makes Southgate a true   contemporary platforms. This has led
newly revamped Southgate Food court.     “Melting pot of the South”.              to her painting anything from planes,
                                                                                  cars, motorbikes and bicycles to canvas,
To mark its 30th anniversary Southgate   Dr Mahlangu, or Mam Esther as she is     walls, mannequins and even wall
Mall owned by Pareto Limited honoured    affectionately called by many, learnt    helmets.
Dr Esther Mahlangu for her global        the art of house painting from her
success. The acclaimed visual artist     grandmother and mother as is tradition   Dr Mahlangu has spent extensive time
and much-loved cultural ambassador       amongst the Ndebele nation.              in the world’s largest cities collaborating
has collaborated with Southgate Mall                                              with leading museums, galleries,
to support Pareto’s vision to promote,   She established herself as a visionary   curators, art fairs and global brands. She

                                                                                                                                6
                                                                                  JUNE 2021
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
has worked with many iconic brands          It is significant that the unveiling      redevelopment of Southgate Mall’s food
    including, BMW, Rolls-Royce, SAA, British   transpired during the month that Dr       court into a world class facility and the
    Airways, Fiat, the Smithsonian Museum       Esther Mahlangu turns 85 years of age.    upgrade of the external fades. The
    of African Art and many others in her       This is also the month in which she has   development includes enhancements
    illustrious career that spans 7 decades.    launched ‘Esther Mahlangu 85’, one of     to the overall look-and-feel of the food
                                                a handful of solo exhibitions presented   court offering quality, dining experience
    Malose Kekana, the GCEO of Pareto           by her in South Africa, at The Melrose    for families and friends alike, increased
    said “Dr Mahlangu’s lifelong devotion       Gallery.                                  seating area, large LED screens for
    to the Ndebele traditional art form, and                                              entertainment, natural lighting, open
    her contribution to the South African       Amongst the attendees at the closed       and airy aesthetically curated space held
    heritage will leave a legacy in the world   media event was, Executive Mayor of       together by cultural cues and biophilic
    of arts. We are proud to have someone of    Johannesburg, Mr Geoff Makhubo;           touchpoints in line with international
    her stature to have agreed to be part of    Chairman of the Pareto Board, Mr Saul     design trends” continued Kekana.
    the new chapter for Southgate, and          Gumede; Pareto Group CEO, Mr Malose
    believe that these murals when              Kekana and Dr Esther Mahlangu to name     Southgate would like to thank its
    considered together will most likely be     a few.                                    loyal shoppers and tenants for their
    the largest completed by Dr Mahlangu                                                  patience and cooperation during the
    to date and will be sure to attract         The vision of the reconfiguration         redevelopment process.
    tourists, art collectors and bring pride    of the food court is anchored by
    to our stakeholders and communities”        Pareto’s commitment to providing          For more information on Dr Esther
    The unveiling of the 16 x 5m murals         a superior customer experience to         Mahlangu see www.themelrosegallery.
    took place on the 25th November at the      its loyal customers and surrounding       com and use this link to view ‘Esther
    newly revamped Southgate Food Court         communities.                              Mahlangu 85’ her solo exhibition https://
    to reveal the bold and abstract design                                                themelrosegallery.com/viewingroom/
    for which Mam Esther is so globally         “The company is excited about             6-esther-mahlangu-85/
    acclaimed.                                  the investment made into the

7
                             BOJANALA
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
THE CHANGING ECONOMICS OF
         TOURISM DURING COVID-19
           THEMBINKOSI LEHLOESA:
                                                     THEMBIKONSIS IS ONE OF OUR
                                                       BOARD MEMBERS IN E.CAPE

C
      ovid-19     has     changed     the
      economics for tourism. A year
      after the disease emerged it now
is possible to see that costs and markets
have been radically affected. This is
apart from the health conditions where
previously tourists simply relied on their
credit card or cash to enter a nature
reserve.

Costs in any economy are affected by
demand. After Covid-19 started and
since July 2020 economists have been
advising countries to increase demand
in their economies generally to grow
their Gross Domestic Products (GDP)
and make the economies recover. Data
indicates the demand for tourism has
distinct requirements from general
demand. General demand relies on
stimulus advocated by the economists.
The demand of tourist destinations while
it can be supported by the stimulus still
has artificial barriers suppressing it. The
requirement at airports which now has         destination prior arrival in Britain. A list   proof of a negative Covid-19 test from
been implemented throughout the               of countries is under each category            your point of departure. Exempt from
European Union (EU) including South           developed. It determines what you must         taking the test or proving a negative
Africa is for travelers to pay for their      do if you have been in the countries           status are only children aged under 11.
testing and if found to be positive also      under any list. If you have been in a          If the results are inconclusive you must
pay for their quarantine and eventual         country or territory on the red list in        take another test. You do not need to
return to their home countries. Travelers     the 10 days before you arrive in Britain       take a test if you began your journey to
pay £1,750 to quarantine in hotels            you will only be allowed to enter if you       Britain from Ireland, Northern Ireland,
in Britain. Furthermore, the Foreign,         are a British or Irish citizen or you have     Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Jersey
Commonwealth and Development                  residence rights.                              or Guernsey, Falkland Islands, St Helena,
Office (FCDO) has issued from 7 May                                                          Ascension or Myanmar, EU. If you are
2021 ‘red, amber and green list rules’        You must follow the rules even if you          from Africa you do. The booking of
for entering. They inspect the 10 days        have been vaccinated. You must have            another coronavirus test for after you

                                                                                                                                         8
                                                                                             JUNE 2021
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
arrive is still at your cost. All this means         or after day 8 of travel tests. These rules       leading institution in South Africa is
    you cannot get to Britain without getting            differ from those in the Red List. There          the South African Medical Research
    advice including the latest information              you will only be allowed to enter the UK          Council (SAMRC) which presents the
    on coronavirus, safety and security, entry           if you are a British or Irish citizen meaning     results as already positive. The UK’s is
    requirements and travel warnings, all of             you are banned.                                   the Environmental Monitoring for Health
    which can be costly in the future. This                                                                Protection (EMHP) Programme, led by
    changes traveling for all countries. The             The UK has administered 57.8 million              the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC), a part
    economics support a domestic demand                  vaccines including 36.9 million people            of the newly-formed UK Health Security
    economy. They are no longer about an                 with their first dose and 20.8 million            Agency (UKHSA). South Africa too has
    international economy. The country best              with both. It has the most advanced               a new health agency – the National
    suited to adapt quickly to them and                  genomic healthcare system in the world.           Health Insurance (NHI). It reports a new
    cope is Britain. Its government already              Like South Africa it has a programme              milestone of testing wastewater for more
    buys services worth £257 billion from its            currently providing insights on the               than two thirds of Britain’s population.
    private sector.                                      Covid-19 variants first identified in India
                                                         and South Africa. The work involves               South Africa’s use of a Johnson and
    The Red List affects Africa most.                    researching sewage and chemicals. It              Johnson vaccine is world standard. This
    Countries on the Red List are categorised            is this programme the UK government               further underlines there should be no
    to have a ‘high risk of exposure to                  boasts about partly in making its health          discrimination. There is an assumption
    Covid-19’. The variant South Africa had in           care system be the most advanced                  new passengers unknown to UK health
    November 2020 is stated as the reason.               in the world in genomic sequencing.               officials and who never tested within its
    Britain however suffered a variant too               South Africa has just starting and can            soil are able to mix with a traveller who
    in December 2020. From 24 December                   be estimated to have already vaccinated           travels in transit a red listed country. So
    Britain suspended direct flights from                366,101 health workers 73,478 of whom             they are required to test and quarantine
    South Africa. Visitors arriving into the UK          since recommenced vaccination. Most of            in the UK where they are found positive.
    and were in or transited through South               the health workers came from northern
    Africa in the previous 10 days were                  KwaZulu-Natal and rural Eastern Cape.             If all the costs are taken into account on
    refused permission to enter. British and                                                               average a traveller would pay R20,000
    Irish citizens and third country nationals           They vaccinated with the Johnson and              extra what they used to pay to visit South
    with residence rights in the UK however              Johnson vaccine the SAMRC confirmed               Africa. Before the FCDO’s rules South
    were allowed entry via indirect routes               has excellent protection of more than             Africa had 15.1 million visitors. A quarter
    from South Africa. All that South Africa’s           80 percent and has no severe Covid-19             came from the UK.
    Department of Health has on the other                side-effects or death. Side-effects in the
    hand for travellers into the country at              vaccine are the same as United State’s (US)       If a traveller is a citizen of a country in an
    ports of entry is the completion of a                that include severe allergy (anaphylaxis)         Amber List they can upon having tested
    questionnaire on travel history two days             or the rare clotting condition called             positive quarantine at home or in the
    prior arrival. The FCDO advises against all          VITT      (Vaccine-induced       Immune           place where they were staying for 10
    but essential travel to the whole of the             Thrombotic           Thrombocytopenia)            days. They will only be treated like citizens
    US. It is on an Amber List though it has             affecting between one and four people             of a country in the Red List if they have
    more than South Africa Covid-19. It has              per million vaccinated . The vaccinated           also been in or through a country on the
    one-fifth of world infections. The FCDO              include the old aged. South Africa has            Red List during their travel. Citizens of
    advises travellers from the US to take a             no discrimination and does not boast              Red List countries quarantine at hotels.
    Covid-19 test and get a negative result              about being far advanced in genomic               Because they bear most expenses if they
    during the 3 days before they travel,                sequencing. The fact that it also has             are not government officials who are
    book and pay for 2 Covid-19 travel tests             the programme made no difference                  exempt they will require more foreign
    to be taken on or before day 2 and on                to the FCDO in discriminating. The                exchange.

                                                                                                                             Restrictions by
     Number of countries in       List of countries in            Number of countries in        List of countries in Red     countries in Red List
     Amber List                   Amber List                      Red List                      List                         against nationals of
                                                                                                                             other countries
     3                            United States, Australia        45                            All African countries        Angola prohibits entry
                                                                                                                             except for Angolan
                                                                                                Countries from other         nationals, resident
                                                                                                continents                   foreign nationals and
                                                                                                Panama, Chile, Mexico        visitors travelling for
                                                                                                                             essential reasons. It
                                                                                                                             has banned entry to
                                                                                                                             arrivals from Brazil and
                                                                                                                             India, with exceptions
                                                                                                                             for Angolan nationals
                                                                                                                             and those with
                                                                                                                             residence permits
                                                                                                                             who must go into
                                                                                                                             mandatory quarantine
                                                                                                                             on arrival

    This requires developing countries to                they are relatively constant because              Foreign arrivals were made up of 699,804
    reignite their tourism sector focusing               they are within a country. They have              non-visitors and 3 886 583 visitors.
    on the domestic economy. For markets                 more enjoyment of heritage. The total             Visitors were made up of 1 084 263 same-
    have radically changed too. Domestic                 number of foreign travellers who visited          day visitors and 2 802 320 tourists with a
    markets had been traveling less because              South Africa from Africa, overseas and            breakdown by sex and age of 1 629 263
    they do not have income. But unlike                  unspecified countries according to                males and 1 173 057 females. About
    international markets that are seasonal              StatsSA during 2020 was 4 586 387.                121,081 were less than 15 years, 227,962

9
                               BOJANALA
NELSON MANDELA MONTH - Department of Tourism
were aged 15-24, 737,033 were aged 25-          of the heritage driving tourism. It must           existence of even wildlife. The reason
34, 821,383 were aged 35-44, 471,212            increase to more than half or 52 percent.          some of the legislation still exists such
were aged 45-54 and 259,140 were aged           Biodiversity programmes protected                  as the Transkei Conservation Act was
55-64. Adults aged 65 and older were            Africa’s and South Africa’s natural                to enforce the eviction of communities
164,509. StatsSA uses administrative            inheritance sufficiently historically and          along the Kei River. The creation and
records from South Africa’s Department          all that is needed now is continual                population of Bantustans during
of Home Affairs to compile the data. This       management with the application of                 apartheid was made with the forbidding
consists of residents and non-residents.        laws passed since democracy in 1994.               of Africans near the sea or a river. All
                                                                                                   white farmers supported that when they
The refocusing towards the domestic             It is a long body of legislation that exists       vacated land for settlement within the
market has the requirement therefore            already that has never received violation          borders of South Africa.
of increasing the budget component              from communities threatening the

 Drivers of employment in tourist’s
                                               Quantity                                        Budgeting
 refocusing
 SMMEs                                         15,000                                          R15 million

 Investment in heritage infrastructure         45,000                                          R100 million

 Support services especially films and         5,000                                           R10 million
 distribution

 Digital technology                            100,000                                         R73 million

By 31 October 2020 countries had made           from its London School of Economics                A refocusing of Africa’s or South
a total of 2,031 policy interventions           (LSE) Centre for Economic Policy have              Africa’s tourism budget towards
affecting international trade generally         researched the impact of Brexit. They              heritage can grow SMMEs and build
because of Covid-19 according to Global         record Brexit caused more harm to                  new infrastructure. But the countries
Trade Alert. That represented a total           Britain’s GDP particularly the exchange            would still need a regeneration of
of 74 percent over the same period              rate than Covid-19. Brexit made Britain’s          manufacturing. For if more employment
in 2019 and 147 percent higher than             GDP fall by 20 percent which is more               is not achieved and more growth is not
in 2015-2017, The report is the most            than China’s. China’s had a 6 percent              created the institutions responsible for
comprehensive yet to account for the            decline yet it is the biggest economy              tourism will close. Governments will add
fallout from government measures of             after the US. The total impact in terms            to debt which already is at 15 percent if
different countries taken to tackle the         of infections and deaths of Covid-19               that foes not happen. Since projections
Covid-19 pandemic since 2020. Tourism           to Africa meanwhile has been minimal               are still not near of Covid-19’s end ten
does not show in these interventions            compared to the economic impact.                   years may be the long-term into which
especially the very drastic and                                                                    this happens. Furthermore, the general
discriminatory practices Britain has taken      Hence, the International Monetary                  condition is such that more employment
against Africa in total and Africa. There is    Fund (IMF) revised growth projections              even in sport will be lost. Football clubs of
a general trade distortion of 13,6 percent      for Africa from 5 Tourism in Africa thus           which there are many will soon be asking
of world goods covered and reforms              stands to decline further because there            for financial support to pay players. They
covering 8,2 percent. Britain’s overhaul        are from Britain policy initiatives harming        have over six months been playing with
of travel policies to the detriment of          it including from the EU and the US.               stadiums empty because of
South Africa’s and Africa’s tourism in          They are only open to each other in
entirety happens as also economists             anticipation now of the summer season.

                                                                                                                                                   10
                                                                                                  JUNE 2021
11
     BOJANALA
Covid-19 regulations. The global               in South Africa in accommodation (5,424),       of tourism revenue. Human beings
governing body FIFA is in the same             air transport (3,524), sports and recreation    do not as the South African struggle
position. In 2015-2018 it had a revenue        (2,900), car rental (2,400), shuttle services   against apartheid proved react quickly
of USD 5,656 million funding 211               (4,000) and travel agencies (411). About        to discrimination. Hence, a change
associations. It had a budget of USD           4,5 percent of South Africa’s workforce         in this picture can only be expected
1,746 million for the four-year cycle          therefore was employed in tourism               after 10 years. By that time South Africa
2019-2022. It is running out of money.         representing 722,013 of 16.2 million            would have had employment increased
                                               workers. South Africa receives annually         annually by 2 million people. Social
Table 2 above from the US Bureau of Labor      approximately 100,000 Chinese tourists.         unrest will follow. The US employs 0,2
Statistics shows labour in the country has     The tourists spent R2.4 billion. By April       percent of its workforce in industries that
been receiving increases above inflation       2021 the direct contribution of the             are related to tourism like filming. It will
since 2015. Just before Covid-19 the           tourism sector to GDP was 130,1 billion.        not feel this impact. When South Africa
increases were 7,5 percent. During the         The UK had 132,384 visitors topping the         refocuses marketing it will have to look
2008-2009 Financial Crisis traveling US        list followed by Germany with 106,092           toward Nigerians that already are leading
households spent on average $1,415             visitors. South Africa also had a travel        in volumes. indicates that the number
on transportation, lodging, food and           ban on selected foreign nationals from          of tourists decreased in all ten leading
beverage, entertainment, and gifts while       ‘high-risk countries’ on 18 March 2020.         countries. Côte d’Ivoire had the largest
on vacation. This was 3 percent of total       Of the 53 land ports 35 were shut as            percentage decrease of 77,4%.000 and
household expenditures. The largest            well as 2 of 8 sea ports. Should South          length of stay has increased usually
travel expense was for transportation.         Africa lose the UK’s and Germany’s              travel as groups and 44 percent of the
This contribution generated 16,676 jobs        visitors that will represent 56 percent         total amount spent.

All countries are affected by Covid-19. The US has lead in both infections and deaths. Therefore no country will borrow to FIFA.

                                                                                                                                              12
                                                                                               JUNE 2021
13
     BOJANALA
“THE MAKHONJWA
MOUNTAINS ARE A
MAJOR DRIVE FOR
BOTH DOMESTIC AND
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM”
- DEPUTY MINISTER FISH MAHLALELA

                                 14
                     JUNE 2021
Deputy Minister Fish Mahlalela addressing the students.

University of Preoria students with Deputy Minister Mahlalela and
Chairperson of MTPA Board Thulani Nzima.                                          Wits MSc Candidate Phumelele Mashele sharing her presentation.

             Staff Reporter

             D
                   eputy Minister Fish Mahlalela            from Wits University presented on            mode” he highlighted.
                   hosted Geology and Tourism               extending the existing Barbeton
                   students from University of              Makhonjwa Mountains and linking              In order to have a thriving socio-
             Witwatersrand (Wits), University of            this Geo-trail towards other tourist         economically       inclusive     industry,
             Mpumalanga and University of Pretoria          attractions. It was proposed that the        community involvement is pivotal.
             in an engaging networking dinner at            Geo-trail be linked with one of the          “In order for all the products we are
             African Rest Lodge in Nelspruit ,on 29         secondary roads that connect towards         developing to be sustained, they must
             April 2021 ahead of the Makhonjwa              the N4 which is a popular route used         benefit the communities. If communities
             Geo-trail Tour the following day. The          by visitors to neighbouring countries        don’t see any beneficiation of any
             objective is to expose the Geology and         and other provinces. This is in order to     product, they will not be in a position to
             Tourism students together with the             expose the hidden tourism gems such as       protect and preserve it” Deputy Minister
             domestic travel market to the Barbeton         the Nkomazi Game Reserve, Warm water         said.The Makhonjwa Mountains are
             Greenstone Belt ancient rock formations        springs in Badplaas, ghost mining towns      a major drive for both domestic and
             that date back from the Archaean period,       that have been turned into cultural          international tourism” he added.
             more than three billion years ago.             villages and pre-colonial iron ore mines
                                                            that have tourism potential and hold rich    “By exposing and giving the youth
             The Department has funded the                  cultural history especially to the Swazi     access to the world heritage site, we
             Barbeton      Makhonjwa        Mountains       Clan.                                        believe our efforts will contribute
             initiative to enhance the tourism                                                           to the overall efforts being made to
             experience, prior to it being listed as        In his address, Deputy Minister Mahlalela    improve tourism numbers, thereby
             South Africa’s 10th World Heritage Site        said that the importance of investing        entrenching the culture of travel and
             by the United Nations Educational              in domestic tourism as part of the           tourism amongst the youth who are
             Scientific and Cultural Organisation           recovery process cannot be emphasised        our present and future travel market”
             (UNESCO) in 2018. A total amount               enough and that to mitigate effects of       Deputy Minister Mahlalela concluded. As
             of 24 million Rands has been spent             the pandemic, the sector developed a         the networking event drew to a close,
             between 2012 and 2014. The project was         Tourism Sector Recovery Plan.                students grabbed the opportunity to
             implemented by the Barbeton Chamber                                                         engage with Deputy Minister Mahlalela
             of Business in partnership with Barbeton       “As government, we are very hard at          with both hands, raising critical issues in
             Tourism Biodiversity Corridor, supported       work to ensure that the resilience of        the Geology and Tourism industry and
             by provincial and local government.            the tourism sector is enhanced and           mapping the way forward with solutions
             The project deliverable includes the           continues to immensely contribute            on how to grow the sector. The following
             development of the Geo-Tourism Route.          to our country’s efforts to economic         day, the students took an early, rainy and
                                                            recovery and reconstruction; as tabled       much educational trip to the Barbeton
             Shining the spotlight on the world             and adopted by Parliament in October         Makhonjwa Mountains.
             renowned Makhonjwa Mountains,                  2020 and presented by the President.
             Phumelele Mashele, an Msc candidate            We are on reconstruction and recovery

       15
                                      BOJANALA
DOMESTIC TOURISM
ACTIVATION IN
KWAZULU-NATAL

                      16
          JUNE 2021
Staff Reporter

     D
            eputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Fish     “To protect our economy and the sector
            Mahlalela, kicked off the Domestic     we must use the funds provided to us by
            Tourism Activation Campaign            government wisely; it was not sufficient
     with a visit to the uMkhanyakude              but it made a huge impact in saving
     District, in the area of uMhlabuyalingana     jobs and businesses from closing,” said
     on Tuesday, 20 April 2021.                    Deputy Minister Mahlalela.

     He was accompanied by the KwaZulu-            He used the campaign to engage
     Natal MEC for Economic Development,           beneficiaries of the tourism relief fund.
     Tourism and Environmental Affairs,            They spoke of how the relief funding had
     Mr Ravi Pillay and Local Government           helped to rescue their businesses from
     leadership as they visited various sites in   closing and retain jobs. The engagements
     the district, including the Nhlange Lake,     also focused on transformation of the
     Kosi Bay Lodge and Utshwayelo Lodge.          tourism sector as a whole with a view
                                                   to rapidly improve on the pace of
     The Deputy Minister also used the             transformation in the tourism sector in
     opportunity to engage with various            relation to ownership and control.
     tourism industries as part of assessing
     the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism         “The sector must not only recover to
     sector as a whole. The programme is           what it was before COVID-19 but it must
     part of the nationwide domestic tourism       also be transformed. When you look at
     activation campaign being undertaken          the tourism sector, about 60 to 70% of
     by the Department of Tourism with             the labour force are women. But when
     the aim of encouraging South Africans         it comes to management, women are
     to travel and experience the scenic           nowhere to be found. This is a world-
     beauty of their own country within the        wide phenomenon, but in South Africa
     confines of the COVID-19 regulations          it is worse,” Deputy Minister Mahlalela
     and health protocols. The campaign            stated.
     recognises that the boost in domestic
     tourism will offset the sharp decline in      Site visits in Ilembe District included the
     the international travel market.              Luthuli Museum in Groutville and a visit
                                                   to the Fairmont Zimbali Hotel which
     On Wednesday, 21 April 2021, Deputy           went under business rescue last year.
     Minister Mahlalela wrapped up his two-
     day visit to KwaZulu-Natal with a visit to    Deputy Minister Mahlalela was satisfied
     Ilembe District in KwaDukuza.                 with the progress made so far by
                                                   the provincial and local spheres of
     During the two-day visit, the Deputy          government in assisting the sector to
     Minister engaged with various                 navigate through these trying times
     stakeholders within the tourism sector.       of the pandemic, of which tourism
     These included the representatives of         is the hardest hit, and committed
     community tourism organisations, tour         the Department of Tourism in
     operators, tour guides, the hospitality       partnership with the provincial and
     industry, women in tourism and                local governments to address all the
     business people operating within the          challenges raised and come back in the
     tourism value chain.                          near future to reflect on progress made.

17
      BOJANALA
TOURISM
TRANSFORMATION
COUNCIL SUPPORTS
MINISTER’S COURT
BID TO DEFEND
TRANSFORMATION OF
THE SECTOR
Staff Reporter

T
     he Tourism Transformation Council       poor performance on the promotion of        in     accommodation;        hospitality;
     of South Africa (TTCSA) welcomes        black management in general. The 2019       travel and related services. The Fund
     the Announcement by the Minister        B-BBEE Survey Report and others also        provides combination of grant funding,
of Tourism on 29 May 2021 to defend          highlighted that there is no change.        concessionary loans and debt finance
the Tourism Equity Fund (TEF).                                                           to support equity acquisitions and new
                                             Yet Statistics South Africa (StatsSA)       and expansion developments in the
Afriforum and Solidarity are contesting      estimated that the direct contribution      tourism sector.
the legality and rationality of the 51%      of tourism towards the country’s GDP
black owned/managed qualification            increased from R118, 977 million in 2017    “We     reiterate   that   delays     in
criteria for the fund and have labelled      (2.6% of GDP) to R130, 163 million in       implementing the TEF will negatively
it as racist, irrational, unconstitutional   2018 (2.7% of GDP) which was a growth       affect black businesses which have
and a deviation from the Tourism B-BBEE      of 9, 4% compared to 2017. However,         already negotiated deals and applied
Sector Codes in terms of the Broad-          studies showed that even prior to           for the funding through the Small
Based Black Economic Empowerment             COVID-19, the economic benefits of          Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa). So, it
(B-BBEE) Act.                                tourism did not accrue to black people      is our unwavering resolve that the fund
                                             as desired under the gazetted Tourism       is a necessary intervention, within the
The true intention of their legal contest    B-BBEE Sector Code.                         constitutional values and imperatives
seeks to maintain and perpetuate the                                                     for the creation of an equal society
status quo where the sector remains          “We need a transformed and shared           and addressing the imbalances of our
untransformed.                               tourism economy now than ever before        country’s past.
                                             if we are serious about reviving our
The       2018     State     of   Tourism    image, particularly a tourists’ drawcard,   Numerous reports continue to show
Transformation Report revealed that          of a rainbow nation of Tata Nelson          that the country’s economy does not
transformation in the tourism sector is      Mandela”, said Ms Sangweni-Siddo,           equally benefit all its citizens and is
still very slow. Only a limited number of    TCCSA Chairperson.                          predominantly owned by the white
enterprises had achieved the 30% black                                                   minority, who make up only 10% of the
ownership target. It was of concern          The Tourism Transformation Summit held      country’s population, whereas the black
that less than 50% of enterprises in the     in 2017 resolved that the Department        majority (Africans, Coloureds & Indians)
three sub-sectors (accommodation,            of Tourism should establish funding         who make up 90% of the population
hospitality and travel) achieved the         programmes targeting companies with         are perpetually alienated from the
minimum ownership targets, and less          black ownership majority and control,       mainstream economy.
than 35% of them achieved targets for        to create access to funding in order to
black women ownership. With regard to        stimulate economic transformation and       “The council welcomes the Minister’s
management control, it was shown that        inclusivity in the sector.                  decision for taking the giant leap to
despite the tourism sector employing                                                     make access to funding a reality and
a large number of women, only 11%            The historic R1.2 billion TEF is intended   for putting the codes into practice to
of enterprises had black women               to fund majority black-owned and            ensure that the economic benefits of
representation at board, executive and       black           management-controlled       transformation accrue to black people
senior management levels with overall        tourism enterprises (minimum 51%)           as well”, added Sangweni-Siddo.

                                                                                                                                     18
                                                                                         JUNE 2021
DM GEORGE DOMESTIC
     TOURISM ACTIVATION

     Staff Reporter

     N
           estled in the fertile Outeniqua        This engagement also focused on                The morning of the 15th May started
           valley, the Southern Cape              transformation of the tourism sector as a      with a breathtaking game drive at
           displayed all its splendour during     whole with a view to rapidly improve the       the Buffelsdrift Game Lodge which
     the Deputy Minister’s domestic tourism       pace of transformation in the tourism          showcased the fauna and flora of the
     activation in this region.                   sector in relation to ownership and            Karoo. Thereafter the Deputy Minister
                                                  control.                                       proceeded to Oudtshoorn to visit to the
     To stimulate domestic tourism, the                                                          iconic Cango Caves. This spectacular
     Department of Tourism hosted a series        “National government has developed             underground tourist attraction largely
     of domestic tourism activations across       the Economic Reconstruction and                attracts the international travel market
     the country, lending impetus to its          Recovery Plan to resuscitate the               and he encouraged the domestic travel
     Tourism Sector Recovery Plan.                economy. In response to this Plan, the         market to experience the wonders of
                                                  Department of Tourism has developed            nature in the Caves.
     Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Fish          Tourism Sector Recovery Plan which has
     Mahlalela, visited the Garden Route and      since been approved by Cabinet.                Deputy Minister Mahlalela concluded
     Klein Karoo town ahead of his Budget                                                        the visit with a Budget Vote Awareness
     Vote to engage various stakeholders          The Plan and the gains made in the             session. The Budget Vote Debate
     within the tourism sector.                   Risk Adjusted Strategy, are a result of        coincides with rolling out of the
                                                  extensive consultation and collaboration       nationwide Domestic Tourism Activation
     Ever the proponent of skills development,    between government, tourism sector             Campaign. The campaign is aimed at
     on Friday the 14th May 2021 the Deputy       and civil society. The Plan is set to revive   encouraging South Africans to travel
     Minister hosted engagements virtually        tourism, and set the sector on an optimal      and experience the scenic beauty of
     with academics and tourism students          path to recovery, transformation and           their own country within the confines
     from Cape Peninsula University of            long term sustainability” said Deputy          of the COVID-19 regulations and health
     Technology. This highlighted career          Minister Mahlalela                             protocols. The campaign recognises that
     opportunities in the sector as well as the                                                  the boost in domestic tourism will offset
     tourism landscape post-pandemic.             The Deputy Minister further then visited       the sharp decline in international travel
                                                  the harbour town of Mossel Bay, home           market.
     The picturesque town of George hosted        to the Mossel Bay Zipline, the longest
     the Department where the Deputy              over-ocean Zipline in the world. This          The Deputy Minister was accompanied
     Minister proceeded to engage with            tourist attraction is perfect if you enjoy     by Executive Mayors of Garden Route
     representatives of Community Tourism         adventure and adrenalin.                       District, George and Oudtshoorn Local
     Organisations, Tour Operators, Tour                                                         Municipalities and senior officials from
     Guides, Hospitality industry, Women in       Thereafter, he proceeded to the                the Provincial Department of Economic
     Tourism and business people operating        historic town of Pacaltsdorp where he          Development and Tourism Deputy
     within the vast tourism value chain in       participated in the Pacaltsdorp historical     Minister Mahlalela was satisfied with the
     the Garden Route and Klein Karoo area.       walk, highlighting areas of indigenous,        progress made so far by the provincial
     The Deputy Minister gave expression to       cultural and historic significance. The day    and local spheres of government and
     the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan with        culminated in an initiative called “dine       thanked them for assisting the sector to
     the focus on reigniting the domestic         with locals” which is a culinary melting       navigate through these trying times of
     travel market. This platform presented       pot attraction, which offers local cuisine,    the pandemic.
     an opportunity for tourism businesses        -prepared by locals and shared in a local
     to raise concerns and challenges in the      setting. This showcased the region in all
     sector.                                      its diversity.

19
                               BOJANALA
A BOOST FOR
                                             WOMEN IN
                                          WINE TOURISM
Staff Reporter

W
         hile we are battling the pandemic        restaurants, wellness spas, game lodges and         which has been developed together with
         and learning to live alongside           golf courses. More significantly, various wine      the private sector. The plan elaborates on
         the virus, the business of tourism       routes which offer a wide variety of activities,    the actions that will be undertaken by
has to continue. To this end, the Minister        from horseback trails to mountain biking and        various implementing agents, public and
congratulated       Nhlakanipho     Holdings,     hiking are also part of diversity of our tourism    private, for the tourism sector to get on
headed by Dimakatso Malwela, for the              offering.                                           the path to sustainable tourism recovery.
launch of the House of D’licacy non-                                                                  The Plan is anchored on three interlinked
alcoholic wine brand. In a hybrid event, the      South Africa is the world’s eighth-largest          pillars or strategic themes: protecting and
Minister officiated the launch and welcomed       producer of wine and the wine estates are           rejuvenating supply, reigniting demand and
this new player to the market.                    part of our most visited attractions in our         strengthening enabling capability for long
                                                  country. Globally, South African wines are          term sustainability.
The tourism sector has suffered a                 regarded as some of the best wines in the
devastating blow with the onslaught of            market and they have carried our country’s          The addition of a new brand into this
the COVID-19 pandemic. And while the              brand to all corners of the world. The wider        important sector can only bode well for our
pandemic continues, this sector will, in the      economic benefit of this industry is that in        economy and for the economic recovery.
meantime, have to operate alongside the           the process of manufacturing, packaging,            More importantly, the addition of a black-
virus, potentially facing numerous stop/          exporting and distributing wine products,           woman owned wine brand enterprise is a
start cycles as restrictions are changed and      throughout the entire value chain, the local        positive step for economic transformation
adjusted in line with the evolution of the        wine industry supports a wide spectrum of           not only for the wine industry but for tourism
virus.                                            economic activity. These includes a wide            and the wider economy.
                                                  range of producers and suppliers, such
The close links between the wine industry         as wine grape farmers, as well as retailers,        Women in the tourism sector are in the
and tourism is part of the reason why the         distributors and the downstream industries          majority in terms of participation however
pandemic has had negative impact on the           such as hospitality industry, restaurants and       they are found at very low level jobs. This
wine industry. The global collapse of the         so on.                                              initiative will involve women and youth
tourism supply and demand market, led                                                                 in tourism business; and that the launch
to a significant reduction in the number          A study commissioned by the wine industry           will be followed by Non-alcoholic Wine
of travellers. This means that hotels and         body, Vinpro, found that wine tourism is a          Transformation Programme through the
restaurants are seeing lower occupancy            significant revenue generator for the South         Women of Value SA’s enterprise development
levels and patronage respectively.                African economy having contributed R7.2             incubator.
                                                  billion to GDP in 2019. This includes direct
Given the direct link between tourism and         expenditure of a visitor at a wine farm,            The main objective of the House of D’Licacy
hospitality and the wine industry in terms of     indirect expenditure of goods bought by             is to house non-alcoholic women-owned
providing an outlet for the consumption of        wineries from other local businesses to             brands and also assist them by creating local
wine, the lower demand was felt across the        deliver the tourism service, as well as induced     and export marketing. It is important that
value chain. As a result of fewer visitors, the   expenditure by the wineries’ employees at           as we rise, especially as women, we also lift
revenue generated at the wine farms has           shops.                                              others who need a helping hand.
reduced and several wineries have shut their
tasting rooms due to the risks of the virus.      The wine industry is indeed an important            The collective management of the pandemic
The wine industry is an important part of         contributor to the South African economy            combined with the vaccination programme
the tourism value chain. South Africa has an      in terms of jobs, the multiplier effect and         will push our country to a new equilibrium in
increasing number of world-class restaurants,     national income. To reverse the impact              which there will be some level certainty. The
with South African wines being part of the        of the devastation of the tourism sector            sooner we attain this certainty the better for
highlight. In the Western Cape the wine           by the pandemic, we have outlined the               our economic recovery. In the meantime, we
industry is a boon for hotels, guesthouses,       Tourism Sector Recovery Plan (TSRP)                 have to adapt to our new normal.

                                                                                                                                                 20
                                                                                                     JUNE 2021
TOURISM RECOVERY
  PLAN – THE ROAD TO
      RECOVERY
Staff Reporter

T
     he tourism sector is one of the              as the South African brand continue to be             a regional value proposition and a
     critical intervention areas that have        under pressure due the country’s association          seamless visitor experience.
     been identified in the Economic              with the 501Y.v2 variant of the COVID-19         •    Review and transform institutional
Reconstruction and Recovery Plan as               virus.                                                architecture to deliver efficient,
tourism is a key driver of the economic                                                                 effective and purpose-led support
recovery in the country. The Department of        The Tourism Sector Recovery Plan                      for sector growth and development.
Tourism together with its stakeholders, have      (TSRP) is a response by the sector and
collaborated to develop the robust Tourism        its constituent partners to the multiple         The Tourism Sector Recovery Plan is
Sector Recovery Plan.                             challenges brought on by the pandemic.           therefore a targeted response by the sector
                                                  This Plan is anchored on three interlinked       and its constituent partners to the multiple
Tourism is a vital contributor to the South       pillars or strategic themes: protecting and      challenges brought on by the pandemic. This
African economy. With its extensive value         rejuvenating supply, reigniting demand and       Plan acknowledges the need for targeted and
chain and labour absorption capacity, it          strengthening enabling capability for long       coordinated action to mitigate the impacts
is acknowledged as a tool for economic            term sustainability.                             of the crises and sets the sector on the most
development, playing a significant role in                                                         optimal path to recovery, transformation and
responding to the country’s socio-economic        Rejuvenate Supply                                long term sustainability.
challenges. Among these, is the provision of      •   Conclude a comprehensive industry
employment to individuals of varying skills           and government partnership to                Developments       around     the     global
levels, the employment of women including             collaborate on all aspects of tourism        deployment of COVID-19 vaccines are likely
in rural areas and ensuring the geographic            recovery.                                    to boost tourism consumer and business
spread of tourism benefits. The sector is         •   Deploy an enhanced Tourism Supply            confidence. However, the distribution
also a significant foreign exchange earner.           Support Package to protect tourism           of the vaccines is likely to be uneven. It
It further impacts on the wider economy               assets and core infrastructure.              will also take time to achieve population
through its significant forward and backward      •   Implement        globally    recognised      immunity in many parts of the world. The
linkages with other economic sectors.                 biosecurity protocols across the value       International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects
                                                      chain to enable safe travel and to           that with growing vaccine availability,
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced an                   rebuild traveler confidence.                 improved therapies, testing, and tracing,
unprecedented crisis to the global economy.       •   Convene a national air access team and       local transmission of the virus is expected
Tourism was one of the first economic                 implement an air service development         to be brought to low levels across the world
sectors to be deeply impacted by the                  programme to reconnect South Africa          only by the end of 2022. The situation is
pandemic with measures to contain its                 to the world.                                further compounded by the uncertainties
spread, including restrictions on movement.                                                        around the efficacy of the vaccines against
Operations were halted under various              Re-ignite Demand                                 new variants.
phases of lockdown and tourism revenues           •   Partner with departments to remove
were severely diminished. The sector is thus          barriers to travel and enable freer entry,   While forecasting the full extent of the
facing profound and simultaneous demand               reduced tourist crime and provide            impact the pandemic on the tourism sector
and supply shocks.                                    stronger personal safety and security        remains a challenge, it is clear that a return
                                                      guarantees.                                  to business as usual is not possible. This is
Historically, the tourism sector has              •   Catalyse domestic demand through the         exacerbated by the continued possibility of
demonstrated resilience through global                phases of economic re-opening with           the emergence of different variants of the
financial meltdowns and health pandemics.             informative and inspirational messaging      virus coupled with the occurrence of new
However, the scale and depth of the                   that encourages safe tourism and             “waves” almost imposing seasonality of their
disruption caused by the COVID-19 health              domestic vacation experiences.               own. The sector has to operate within a “new
and economic crisis suggest that the road         •   Execute a global marketing and travel        normal” context, which includes finding ways
to tourism recovery will be long and highly           trade programme targeted at higher           for the tourism economy to coexist with the
uncertain. The United Nations World Tourism           potential source markets and intrepid        virus, at least in the short to medium term.
Organisation (UNWTO) expects the sector to            travel consumer segments to re-ignite
return to pre-crisis levels only in 2023. Until       international demand.                        The implementation of interventions
then, the sector will largely be in survival                                                       outlined in the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan
mode. Many tourism jobs remain at risk,           Strengthening Enabling Capability                are aimed at not only returning the tourism
while some businesses within the sector face      •   Launch an investment and market entry        sector’s performance to levels it reached
the possibility of a permanent closure.               facilitation programme to stimulate          before the outbreak of COVID-19, but to
Destinations globally are grappling with              capital investment, transformation and       place it on a long-term sustainable growth
the challenge of reigniting their tourism             product diversification.                     trajectory that fully realises South Africa’s vast
economies. Key source markets have placed         •   Prioritise      cooperation       with       and diverse tourism potential.
travel restrictions to and from South Africa          neighbouring destinations towards

21
                                 BOJANALA
VACCINATION ROLL OUT-
        HOW FAR ARE WE?
Staff Reporter

A
       vaccine is intended to provide              settings, persons over 60 years and persons        more people have died in South Africa after
       immunity against COVID-19.In general,       over 18 years with co-morbidities. Phase 3         contracting the coronavirus, pushing the
       vaccines contain weakened or inactive       will focus on persons older than 18 years,         national death toll to 57,879.The country has
parts of a particular organism that triggers       targeting 22,500,000 of the population.            also recorded 5,552 infections over the past
an immune response within the body. This                                                              24-hour cycle, taking the known caseload
weakened version will not cause the disease        A month after the vaccinations kicked off          since the start of the pandemic to 1,752,000.
in the person receiving the vaccine, but it will   beyond healthcare workers, by the end of           So far, 1,611,000 people have recuperated
prompt their immune system to respond.             13 June a total of 1,297,520 people aged           so far, which works out to a recovery rate of
Some vaccines require multiple doses, given        over 60 had received the first of two Pfizer       91.9%.
weeks or months apart. This is sometimes           doses. Just over five million over-60s in the
needed to allow for the production of              country were meant to be vaccinated by the         Meanwhile, Aspen Pharmacare has now
long-lived antibodies and development              end of June, according to the national health      detailed its plans to bolster South Africa’s
of memory cells. In this way, the body is          department’s own targets. Earlier targets, like    COVID-19 vaccine rollout after batches of the
trained to fight the specific disease-causing        vaccinating 1.2 million healthcare workers,        Johnson & Johnson vaccine were found to
organism, building up memory against the           were also not reached. At the end of the           be contaminated and had to be destroyed.
pathogen so it can fight it in the future.          Sisonke J&J vaccine trial, a total of 479,768      Johnson and Johnson will “within days”
                                                   healthcare workers got the jab, according to       provide the country with 300,000 vaccine
The vaccine rollout is carried out in a three-     official records.                                  doses “for South African teachers”, Aspen said
phase approach that begins with the most                                                              in a statement. Johnson & Johnson will also
vulnerable in our population. Our target is to     The latest figures from the Health                 deliver “substantial quantities” of finished
vaccinate 67% of the population by the end         Department show that 3,871 vaccines were           vaccines to South Africa “to replace the lost
of 2021, which will allow us to achieve herd       rolled out over the past 24-hour cycle. These      stock thereby ensuring the momentum
immunity. Phase 1 will focus on frontline          take the number of people who’ve now               in the South African vaccine initiative is
healthcare workers; Phase 2 will vaccinate         had at least one dose of a COVID-19 shot to        maintained”.
essential workers, persons in congregate           1,777,288.Over the same 24-hour period, 114

                                                                                                                                                 22
                                                                                                     JUNE 2021
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