Tourism Minister to brief the media on Level 3 regulations for the sector
The tourism industry continues to take the strain as lockdown regulations remain in effect.
The accommodation sector is especially under pressure with limited travelling allowed.
Although operations are allowed, Statistics SA shows that the total income for the accommodation industry decreased by 98% year-on-year in May 2020.
A Statistics South Africa survey shows that the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown regulations since March have had a great impact on economic activity in the tourism industry.
In the video below, the tourism industry continues to take the strain as lockdown regulations remain in effect:
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Hotels among the hardest hit
The number of tourists visiting South Africa started dwindling in March due to travel ban restrictions.
The total loss of revenue in the three months from March to May exceed R4.6 billion compared to the same period a year ago.
The hotel industry is estimated to contribute about 9% to the job market with about 1.5 million people employed in the industry.
Legal options
The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) says it is exploring its legal options against government, to force it to open the entire sector.
Parts of the sector are operating but the council says this is not enough to get people back to work.
In April, Minister of Tourism Mmamaloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced a COVID-19 Tourism Relief Fund of R200 million.
In the video below, the Minister briefs media about the opening of the sector:
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Source: SABC News (sabcnews.com)