17 JUNE 2020
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The Onrus lagoon was the first to breach this year after more than 50 mm of rain fell last week. In some parts of the Overberg more than 70 mm of rain was recorded and in Greyton the mountains were covered with a light dusting of snow. It's best to keep your winter woollies handy with more rain and cold forecast for this weekend. PHOTO: MVD Photography
Tourism needs to open soon Writer De Waal Steyn
B
oth the Western Cape Government and the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) are intensifying efforts to persuade the government to permit tourism for leisure purposes. Local tourism operators and thousands of residents dependent on visitors to our shores are facing a dismal future if tourism-related activities are not allowed soon. Western Cape Minister of Finance & Economic Opportunities, David Maynier, has written to both the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the Minister of
Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, requesting that under Level 3 lockdown restrictions intra-provincial travel and tourism for leisure be allowed, subject to strict safety protocols. “With severe restrictions on international and local travel during the Covid-19 pandemic, there is no doubt that the tourism sector has been hard-hit during this crisis and will require a great deal of support to ensure its survival,” Maynier said. According to him, they are specifically requesting that accommodation establishments be allowed to accept guests who are travelling for leisure purposes, that intra-provincial movement of people should be permitted for leisure purposes, and that certain
visitor attractions, where risk is low, should be allowed to re-open. Cape Whale Coast Tourism Manager, Frieda Lloyd, has said that despite the Level 3 restrictions it is clear from the increased number of people and vehicles that there are visitors from other parts of the province travelling to the Overstrand, especially over weekends. “It has been noted that people are either visiting their holiday homes or driving through for the day, most probably hoping to spot some whales now that the season has officially started,” she said. While travelling for leisure purposes is not allowed under Level 3 restrictions, the recent cold snap drew hundreds of visitors to Ceres and
Franschhoek to see the snow on the mountains. At one stage the road to Ceres had to be closed by traffic officials due to the volume of cars trying to enter the area. Currently accommodation establishments are only permitted to receive guests if they are remaining tourists confined to such facilities, those travelling for work purposes, and persons in quarantine or isolation. Other businesses in tourism regions are also permitted to open – yet given that they rely on a flow of people to drive business it is unclear how they will be supported during Level 3 without travel for leisure being permitted. According to Maynier the tourism industry has already done a great deal of work to develop health and safety
guidelines and protocols aimed at ‘de-risking’ the sector. “Our suggestion is that these establishments should not yet be permitted to open communal areas such as swimming pools, lounges and seated eating areas, but be allowed to receive guests for leisure purposes from within their province. This would allow for short-break trips which would help to stimulate the tourism economy and help to prevent job losses. “In the Western Cape it is estimated that the impact of the pandemic could cost the province 248 872 direct and indirect jobs, with up to 50% of all tourism businesses closing in the Western Cape,” Maynier said. Continues on P3
