CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, has urged businesses within the travel, tourism and hospitality to act responsibly and comply with the regulations of alert level 2 of lockdown.
Tshivehengwa said that the message of adherence to protocols should be shared widely, in order to encourage their uptake and implementation across the entire value chain of travel and tourism.
The changes include the allowance for inter-provincial travel for leisure purposes, with all accommodation facilities allowed to accept guests for leisure purposes, and the opening of tourism activities.
The Tourism Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, addressed the media on 19 August to outline the new regulations across the industry under the new level 2 lockdown. The changes include the allowance for inter-provincial travel for leisure purposes, with all accommodation facilities allowed to accept guests for leisure purposes, and the opening of tourism activities.
She also encouraged compliance to the new regulations, in order to better protect ourselves from coronavirus and the effects it can wreck on the sector; “Let us keep this up and also hold one another accountable against this commitment for the sake of our people and our industry.”
READ: What alert level 2 regulations mean for the tourism sector
All businesses must continue to limit gatherings to no more than 50 people, which includes informal gatherings in shared public spaces such as lobbies, reception areas and such.
Minister Kubayi-Ngubane also stated that breakfast and reception areas at accommodation venues must ensure a 50% or less occupancy of floor space. TBCSA has since clarified this statement to mean:
- An establishment may have 100% occupancy, with no more than two people or a βnuclear familyβ sharing a room.
- However, all businesses must continue to limit gatherings to no more than 50 people, which includes informal gatherings in shared public spaces such as lobbies, reception areas and such.
- The 50% floor space does not apply to restaurants as these are governed by 1.5m social distancing directive among others.
TBCSA also stressed that it is continuing to work on the opening of international inbound air travel, and increasing the capacity of conferences and events.
