Small businesses have been struggling to apply for the government loan scheme while a mere R20 billion has been distributed to businesses.
Whilst local citizens are trying to see light at the end of the tunnel amidst the current pandemic and the unrest that is hampering their spirits, the South African tourism industry is on its knees and desperately needs government to believe in the sector as a crucial part of the economy. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, 13 July 2021, the CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa , Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa said that the unrest could not have come at a worse time.
According to Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, R5.3 billion was secured through negotiations with government, but due to the return to Lockdown Level 4 and its extension the TBCSA needs to re-enter the negotiations to include the additional days of the industry not being fully operational. “Our job now is to find the money,” he says.
Tshivhengwa says that the system has been designed in such a way that it doesn’t allow small businesses to access it fairly. Apart from the fact that there is a gap between the private and public sectors when it comes to South African tourism, there are many other concerns for the industry too. Still, the gap comes with the challenge of not having a risk matrix to know how to respond to something like the Coronavirus pandemic or the current uprising. “We need to give the department teeth, but we need to do it through policy,” says Tshivhengwa.
She adds that: “This is just a lose-lose situation and as FEDHASA we urge Government to urgently stop this hemorrhaging damage to our brand SA reputation.” This seems to be picking up, though. She also says that since Zanzibar and the Maldives have opened their borders and South Africa’s borders opened , “we have seen that there is pent up demand for travel, especially to relaxing beach and island destinations. Indian Ocean Islands have always been a best seller in our market and it’s positive that Mauritius will be opening to South Africans soon as well.
He also says that the vaccine is vital in the recovery of business travel and in getting our top South African executives back on the road. “Vaccine passports will ease travel restrictions, and could even allow travellers to skip the unproductive quarantine requirements in many countries.”According to Oz Desai, both the Flight Centre Travel Group and Corporate Traveller have had to innovate to support their travellers. “We have embraced new regulations, and requirements to move people safely.
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