Struggling SA tourism sector awaits imminent UK ‘red list’ decision

AS SOUTH Africa awaits the announcement of the UK's revised international travel “red list”, local authorities say the country's expected removal from the list would be a welcome, although long-awaited decision.

This, after reports emerged at the weekend that the UK is expected to slash the list from 54 countries to nine.

The UK is set to open up more countries for hotel quarantine-free travel later this week, the Sunday Telegraph reported, with fully-vaccinated arrivals from countries including Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa no longer having to quarantine in a government-designated hotel for 10 days when they get to England from later this month.

The UK's hotel quarantine policy for higher risk countries reportedly costs £2 285 (R46 000) an adult, deterring global travel.

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu's spokesperson Mpumzi Zuzile said this will be a welcome, though long-awaited decision, which Sisulu would comment on once the UK government officially releases the list of countries removed from its red list, expected to be actioned with immediate effect.

“Our tourism sector is ready,” Zuzile said.

Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Clayson Monyela said they also awaited the UK's official announcement of their decision.

“We do know that following a meeting of SA and UK scientists last week, the UK said ‘data and expertise' provided by South African scientists will feed into the next review of its border measures (red list), within the next fortnight. So these reports are in line with our expectations.”

Western Cape Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC David Maynier said the decision would be great news for the tourism and hospitality sector in the province.

“We have worked hard to engage with all key decision-makers both in the UK and in South Africa, including writing to the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, the Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, on the decision to keep South Africa on the UK ‘red list', which seems manifestly unfair, requesting that the

decision be reviewed and South Africa removed from the ‘red list'.”

The UK is a key source market for tourism in the Western Cape. In 2019, about 195 000 UK tourists visited the Western Cape, spending R24 200 on average per tourist, he said.

“Removing South Africa from the UK ‘red list' and easing travel restrictions for those travelling between the two countries ahead of our summer season will provide much-needed relief for the tourism and hospitality sector, which has been hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

South African Medical Association chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee said there was no reason South Africans should be discriminated against as the country used the same vaccines as the UK.

“The Delta variant is in both countries and we know that our vaccines are very effective against the Delta variant. The vaccines were exactly the same whether it is in South Africa or whether it is in England, there is a no difference, vaccines are vaccines,” said Coetzee.

| MAMMAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE WHALE UNIT THE first stretch of the Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit aerial survey is complete, having surveyed from Nature’s Valley to Infanta, and photographed 14 female whales with a calf as well as seven unaccompanied adults. Additionally, many dolphins were observed along the way, as well as a Bryde’s whale, a sunfish and seven great white sharks in Mossel Bay. Today they will survey the De Hoop Nature Reserve, the country’s most important calving area for Southern right whales.