South African tourism showing positive signs of recovery

KwaNdengezi Golden Stars entertaining visitors during festive season on 'Reconciliation day' at the beach front in Durban . Picture: Bongani Mbatha/African News Agency

KwaNdengezi Golden Stars entertaining visitors during festive season on 'Reconciliation day' at the beach front in Durban . Picture: Bongani Mbatha/African News Agency

Published Jan 3, 2022

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Johannesburg - South African tourism is showing signs of recovery with the coastal city of Durban having 80 percent occupancy at establishments and over 200 000 visitors during the festive season.

"We desperately needed this development because we were bruised by the pandemic and multitudes of our people lost jobs. I am happy that following these figures, it means we are doing things right," Xinhua news agency quoted Durban Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda as saying

Kaunda said during this festive season restaurants and eateries in the townships and other destinations were full of tourists.

Over the Christmas weekend period alone, about 200 000 people visited the city, spending close to R150-million

Their contribution to the city's gross domestic product was about R350-million.

On December 30, 2021, the South African government removed the curfew.

Last week, the City of Cape Town welcomed the news that the US will be lifting its travel restrictions on South Africa and several other African countries from December 31.

Mayoral committee member for economic growth, Alderman James Vos said going forward, the global community must consider alternative measures to travel bans which, as shown by research, do not effectively limit the spread of the virus and are simply more damaging to economies.

“It gives renewed focus to economic recovery and will offer a much-needed boost to Capetonians who work in tourism and related industries,” added Vos.