Home
FacebookSearchMenu
  • Subscribe (free)
  • Subscribe (free)
  • News
  • Features
  • TravelInfo
  • Columns
  • Community
  • Sponsored
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send Us News

Share

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

Govt ‘red list’ reviewed

20 Oct 2020 - by Adele Mackenzie
Comments | 0

Yesterday (October 19) government revised the list of high-risk countries based on a risk categorisation model – and it now includes another major source market for inbound leisure tourism, Germany.

The wave of frustration that swept through the inbound industry was well expressed by an anonymous DMC on the WhatsApp group Tour Operators and DMCs: “Great, so now all the efforts of marketing to the German market have been a complete waste of time and money. But hey, let’s now tackle the Austrians and the Swiss. Will common sense ever kick in again?”

Tour operators in the outbound industry have been sent back to the drawing board to re-think their offerings to agents in light of the new red list.

Click HERE for the latest list of high risk countries.

Visitors in any category are now allowed for stays in SA of three months or more. The spokesperson said the respective ministers recognised that there were a number of regular visitors from mainly European countries that had been accustomed to long periods of visitation to South Africa during the summer season, most of whom owned properties in the country.

“We appreciate the significant economic contribution that they make through their activities in the country. To this end, we will also allow visitors, in whichever category, who are coming to stay for a three-month period or more, subject to COVID-19 protocols,” he said.

In the same announcement, the DHA committed to 24-hour turnaround for inbound business travel applications “We will try our best to ensure that responses are communicated within 24 hours,” said DHA spokesperson, Siya Qoza.

This follows an appeal by Western Cape Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier, last Monday (October 12) for this to be urgently addressed after his office received complaints from businesses that emails to this address had not been answered since the reopening of international travel on October 1.

He added that an easier fix, as per his recent submission to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, would be to simply scrap the risk-based approach to international travel and the ‘red-list’ of countries not permitted to travel to SA, a sentiment echoed by industry during a SATSA webinar last week in which they pleaded with government to remove the ‘red list’.

 

Sign up to our mailing list and get daily news headlines and weekly features directly to your inbox free.

Last-minute cruises? Still plenty of space

Yesterday
Comments | 0

Park Hyatt opens in Johannesburg

02 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Windstar’s newest ship debuts Med sailings

02 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Rome hikes public transport tickets

02 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Movers and Shakers: City Lodge veteran retires

02 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Latest Changes on Travelinfo (02Jul'25)

02 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Cruise pax hit by Irish visa backlog

01 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Sandton’s sweetest new stay awaits

Sponsored
01 Jul 2025

Proflight expands seasonal schedule

01 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Hong Kong to increase visa fees

01 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

2026 opening for ultra-luxury V&A Waterfront hotel

01 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Feature: Leisure clients seek meaning in their travel experiences

01 Jul 2025
Comments | 0

Spain orders Booking.com to remove listings

01 Jul 2025
Comments | 0
  • Load more

FeatureClick to view

MICE in cruising July 2025

Poll

Have your clients experienced longer queues than usual at security at OR Tambo International in recent weeks?
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Travel News on Facebook
  • eTNW Twitter
  • Travel News RSS
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send Us News