Airport activity closing in on 2019 levels

The tourism sector, which was brought to a halt due to Covid restrictions, is showing signs of recovery with an increase in international arrivals.

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu yesterday tabled the department’s budget vote to a mini-plenary of the National Assembly.

She said: “According to Acsa [Airports Company South Africa], air travel to and from South Africa has reached its highest levels of activity since the Covid pandemic – almost 2.3 million through OR Tambo, Cape Town, Durban in March – up 70% from the previous year.

“Recovery is being bolstered by international arrivals.”

Sisulu said South Africa was among those African destinations which experienced the biggest declines in arrivals in 2021: 78% down when compared to 2019, while countries in East Africa were not as deeply affected.

“Cape Town International Airport’s total passenger activity had increased to 66% of levels last seen in the first quarter of 2019.

“January and February saw strong growth in arrivals from the UK, Netherlands, Australia, Germany, Switzerland – 549% up in 2022, versus 2021 from our top10 source markets [Stats SA].”

Sisulu said as a result, international airlines can’t keep up with the demand for travel to and from South Africa, resulting in stubbornly high airfares, made even worse by soaring fuel prices.

Sisulu said tourism had always been one of the most lucrative activities, contributing billions of rands to the local economy in job creation and small business development.

However, since the onset of the pandemic, the unrest last July and the devastating April floods, the sector had suffered losses estimated to be in the billions.

“Last week we announced that during our attendance at the Arabian Travel Market, SA Tourism signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates Airlines to grow the tourism market in South Africa.

“Air travel is a key pillar for South Africa’s tourism recovery and we expect this will boost visitor arrivals. It will promote tourism and inbound traffic to South Africa from key markets across the Emirates network,” she said.

Sisulu said the Middle East is a critical market for South Africa and the collaboration would be instrumental in ensuring ease of access to and from South Africa for travellers from that region.

She said this would also help to elevate South Africa’s trade efforts.

“A similar effort is underway with Qatar Airways,” she said.