Tourism sees an uptick

Tourism sees an uptick

Writer De Waal Steyn

The decision to move South Africa from Covid-19 Alert Level 3 to Level 1 will be the proverbial cherry on the cake for the Overstrand as visitors are returning to our towns in droves, after the summer season was cut short due to the second wave of Coronavirus infections.

“We have been fortunate that the last few weekends have seen large numbers of people from all over the province visiting our towns. After the Level 3 lockdown come into effect in December, people have been yearning to get out of their houses and spend some time with family and friends,” said Frieda Lloyd, Tourism Manager of the Cape Whale Coast.

Business owners in all our towns are smiling broadly after the rush of weekend visitors that started during the Valentine’s weekend.

“Many guesthouses reported occupancy levels above 75% last weekend and all the attractions around our coast report large numbers of visitors. Wine farms, adventure sports activities, restaurants, art galleries and weekend markets have said they have seen a marked uptick in the number of visitors,” said Lloyd.

According to her, one of the most positive signs is that although the numbers are growing, people are still taking Covid-19 precautions very seriously. “Both the visitors and business owners understand the importance of sticking to the regulations. In the past few months, the Cape Whale Coast has built a reputation as a safe destination to travel to. One example is the fact that we have Covid monitors at our markets to ensure that people are keeping their distance and wearing their masks. When the rules are broken, the issue is followed up on and the perpetrators are dealt with according to the law.

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