:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/cape-town-bo-kaap-malay-quarter-south-africa-SATOURISM0620-5a03cdb0aeb74015b5ff2b5c069e441e.jpg)
Domestic tourists will be able to move around the country in December.
South Africa announced it will not reopen for international tourism until February 2021.
Even though the country is gradually lifting its coronavirus-sparked restrictions that were implemented in March, its tourism industry will still take months to reopen.
Everything besides essential services like health and grocery shut down during South Africa’s lockdown, however, last week, the country moved to “Level 3” of its reopening plan, which allowed many people to return to work. Retail businesses and schools have also reopened. South Africans are allowed to visit private and public game reserves but they cannot partake in leisure travel until the end of the year, Africa News reported.
Domestic tourists will be able to move around the country in December and foreign travelers will be welcomed back to the country a few months later.
“Based on the COVID-19 epidemic expected trajectory, the first phase of the recovery for the sector will be driven by domestic tourism, followed by regional tourism and international tourism next year,” Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced last week, the Evening Standard reported.
Several other restrictions remain in place for the coming weeks. Face masks remain necessary for going outside and South Africans can only exercise outside between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
But South Africa’s travel industry is already looking ahead to 2021 and 2022, hoping to entice foreign travelers with good exchange rates and deals.
“We are fortunate to have repeat clients so we are offering really affordable packages ahead of 2021 and 2022 and encouraging them to book now,” Tanya Kotze, founder of Africa Direct, a tour and travel company based in South Africa told CNN. “The exchange rate is now favorable for Americans and Britons looking to your Africa so we are trying to make it as attractive as possible.”
According to data recorded by Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than 37,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus in South Africa and at least 790 deaths.
