Cape Town - The provincial government is calling for a review of international travel restrictions, saying the risk-based approach in regulating international travel had created unnecessary confusion in the travel and tourism industry.
They said the travel restrictions were causing distress for those who were desperate to return to loved ones or resume business operations.
Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC David Maynier said the current restrictions allowed business travellers from high-risk countries to enter the country with a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, but not leisure travellers, which made no sense and was unfair.
“There is simply no greater risk for transmission of the Covid-19 virus based on the purpose of travel, yet the negative impact of continuing to limit the entry of leisure travellers to South Africa, especially from our key source markets, is severe and extreme,” Maynier said.
He said international markets were a key economic driver for the tourism sector in the Western Cape and so the full reopening of the borders to leisure travellers, with stringent health protocols in place ahead of the summer season, was absolutely critical to the sector’s immediate recovery, medium-term stability and long-term survival.
He said they had written to Co-operative Governance and Traditional affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, detailing an alternative approach to safely open international travel in a way that would avoid confusion and uncertainty.
The province proposed that Dlamini Zuma do away with the risk-based country categorisation model, requiring all travellers to present a PCR test on arrival, conducted at least 72 hours prior to arrival.
They also proposed that PCR test results should not have to be signed by a medical practitioner, saying in many countries testing was conducted by a lab and results issued electronically.
Cogta spokesperson Lungi Mtshali said they were puzzled by the Western Cape government. “When these decisions were made, they were also part of the meeting.”
Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) has been welcoming international flights since last Friday.
Southern Africa and East Africa Lufthansa Group Airlines general manager André Schulz said the Western Cape remained an attractive destination for European holiday makers, and as Lufthansa’s flight schedule to South Africa was now fully operational, they remained committed to continuing to support the restart of travel into the country.
Cape Argus