The list of areas lacking clarity in South Africa’s new regulations is growing daily. Tourism Update journalist, Erin Cusack, attended a webinar hosted by the #SouthAfricaisTravel Ready collective recently where many of these questions were raised.
Touring SADC
Director of Big Ambitions and part of the #SouthAfricaisTravelReady collective, Natalia Rosa, highlighted a question that had been asked several times regarding tour groups in southern Africa. “If you have a tour group and you’re going into Namibia or Botswana and you’re only going to be there for two or three days, do you need to take a test there again, because your original test will be older than 72 hours when you come back [into South Africa]?”
Rosa said the regulations had been very unclear but referred to the allowance of multiple entries for SADC citizens doing business (up to 14 days of multiple entries permitted with one COVID19 test) and said she would imagine this could apply to South African tourist guides too.
Insurance
Travel expert Gillian Saunders raised concerns about the need for travel insurance in case of additional testing and quarantine due to the presentation of COVID symptoms.
Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa Chair, Carla da Silva, said airlines and travel agents were being encouraged to advise consumers to take out travel insurance. “Bear in mind that everyone will be screened on arrival and again at departure. So, if you were negative and are now suddenly positive the government is saying that you will be quarantined at your own cost,” she said, explaining why she advocated for the insurance.
Saunders agreed saying that while there were insurers who offered cover for COVID-related travel interruptions, it was important to educate consumers on exactly what they covered.
She quoted the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Naledi Pandor, who said a proof of accommodation booking would suffice as a requirement. “We believe that’s the way you should do it. If there is a need to quarantine, you should be able to self-quarantine at the hotel you’ve booked at while you wait for another test result rather than being booked into a government-selected facility,” said Saunders.
“As far as we can see there is no legal requirement in the regulations at all, for any insurance,” she concluded.
Business travel
South Africa will only accept business travellers (not leisure travellers) from the countries deemed ‘high-risk’, but these travellers need to apply.
The government provided an email address for submitting this application but had had issues reported, according to Rosa. Another address has been provided and can be found on the FAQ page of the South Africa is Travel Ready website.
“We have asked the Department of Home Affairs how long it’s going to take for them to approve those visas, and they have come back and said they don’t know,” said Rosa, adding that she understood the agitation of those wanting to come to the country and having to wait for this process.
“The requirements as a business traveller are very clear in the gazette,” she concluded.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Do you have any other burning questions? Send Tourism Update an e-mail (editor@tourismupdate.co.za) and we will highlight them and try to get some answers for you.
