Enjoy the beauty of our summer but ensure you keep the danger of Covid at arm’s length
With much of Europe now experiencing a resurgence in Covid-19 infections after slowing down the virus, we South Africans must learn from this experience and remain vigilant and continue to follow health and safety protocols. As the tourism sector reopens and implements these protocols, there has been talk of a “second wave” of infections that could sweep through the nation, similar to European countries. This is a scenario the tourism and hospitality industries would like to avoid.
European countries have revealed that increased public laxity over non-pharmaceutical interventions such as wearing masks and social distancing has led to a second wave across the continent. In response to this second surge, many European countries and cities are considering another round of quarantines and lockdowns, which further depresses the local and global economy.
SA has not reached the stage of resurgence in Covid-19 infections. However, the number of infections could be reduced significantly across the provinces. Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced this week that there has been a rise in infections across the country. In fact, he warned that in just seven days SA had seen a 9.1% increase in new Covid-19 cases. Over the past two weeks there has been a 10.7% increase in infections.
SA’s economy has already suffered a significant contraction due to widespread lockdown restrictions. Our economy shrank by 51% and the ratings agencies downgraded our credit rating to full junk status. Now, more than ever, we need fully functional industries to revive our economy. Our industry, in particular, has the power and potential to reignite SA’s ailing economy.
Prior to Covid-19, tourism supported 1.5-million jobs and contributed 8.6% to the GDP of SA. Furthermore, the tourism industry’s multiplier effect on other sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing of vehicles, textiles, furniture, chemicals. banking, retail, construction, conservation, aviation and fuel supply was almost limitless. We believe we still have the ability to salvage SA’s tourism industry, an enormous task that we are ready to tackle head-on.
With international travel reopened to certain countries and efforts to maintain our global tourism reputation increased, our industry wants to be able to take advantage of the inbound summer high season, which runs through the coming months to March next year, and which previously produced 60% of SA’s international tourism annual revenue. Therefore, it is critical that we protect this vulnerable industry from a second wave, which would lead to further job losses and business closures.
To count the cost, the tourism industry has already lost more than R100bn in tourism spend since SA’s national lockdown began at the end of March. Earlier this year we rang the alarm on the 600,000 tourism jobs that would be lost in 2020 due to Covid-19. In the event of a resurgence of infections, these numbers will increase exponentially, which will have knock-on effects on other industries.
It is now incumbent on all citizens to prevent a jobs bloodbath in tourism and other sectors. From an industry perspective, we want to reiterate that South Africans should not become complacent in public and social settings. From sitting in restaurants to being in meetings and small events, we ask that citizens continue to wear masks, sanitise regularly and follow the robust protocols that we have put together.
A continual adjustment in our social behaviour will help us achieve this goal. Let us not behave as though the virus no longer exists. We need to comply with industry protocols. This includes public and private settings. It is important that even at home or in private settings with family and friends we continue to practise the highest standards of hygiene guided by the protocols.
To assist the tourism and hospitality industry to safely reopen, the Tourism Business Council of SA has launched the Travel Safe – Eat Safe app. This assists business owners to register and implement the Covid-19 tourism safety protocols. The app is a quick, easy and paperless way to show full understanding of the importance of safe industry operating protocols and compliance.
We have also developed a free Travel Safe — Eat Safe certification programme for South African businesses to adopt the protocols. The programme encompasses a centralised registration system and app as well as comprehensive training for businesses and staff. The certification provides evidence that health screening, distancing and cleaning procedures are in place and helps businesses seamlessly manage Covid-19 health screening for employees, suppliers, delivery agents and customers. The app can also facilitate contact tracing if needed.
We encourage tourism and hospitality business owners to continue to use the available resources to comply with the protocols and increase customer confidence around safety concerns.
Each and every one of us has a choice to make at this juncture. Are we part of the problem or are we part of the solution? We can choose to learn to adapt and live with Covid-19 and thereby get on with our lives by going to work, taking time off for leisure, but always observing the protocols (masks, social distancing and sanitising) that have proven to work to protect ourselves and our communities.
We can choose to fight Covid-19 by ignoring it and pretending that Europe is far away and cannot teach us anything. If we look at what is happening, we know that this approach can only result in a second wave, which can only mean more hardship.
Now is the time for patience, persistence and discipline, not the time to relax and pretend it is over. Each one of us can personally make a positive contribution by considering how to best protect our family, our friends and our communities.
Tourism has the power and potential to reignite SA’s economy and we need to ensure that as citizens we enable this industry to revive the economy. We encourage everyone to practise responsible measures and social distancing as they explore SA. Let us all unite in decreasing the number of infections and in giving tourism a chance to recover its losses.
South Africans should not become complacent in public and social settings