As the inbound industry eagerly awaits the list of high-risk international countries that will be barred from entry into South Africa when borders reopen on October 1, many are calling for all travel restrictions to be removed.
Johann van Zyl from Far Country Collection posed the question: “Why in the world would your country of origin or nationality matter if you have to arrive with a recent negative COVID test? It only makes sense to limit countries of origin if you're not requiring a negative test to enter.”
Owner and Director of inbound tourism company, Alpha Destinations, Angela Matthews, agreed: “That's why European countries like Germany use the Corona app. You know exactly if you have been exposed to any risk after your test. It is absolutely nonsensical to exclude countries if you demand travellers to carry a negative test.
“How are we going to market South Africa if the goalposts are being shifted constantly? Today you come from an orange country, next week it might be green but two weeks later red?
“If health (and the tourism industry!) matter and not politics, what would make most sense is to have a compulsory test on arrival. And charge for it at cost. Statistically, about 99.7% of tourists will be negative, and the 0.3% positive ones can be traced easily and quarantined. But yes, that requires some real organisational skills on the ground at our three international airports.”
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