Tough times for tourism

Writer De Waal Steyn

Data released this week by the Western Cape Government show the dramatic impact Level 3 lockdown restrictions and the Covid-19 pandemic have had on the tourism industry.

According to David Maynier, Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, the top attractions in the province have shown a 60% decline in visitors over the peak season.

“This data confirms the desperate state of the tourism and hospitality industry in the Western Cape and considering the evidence that the Western Cape is passed its peak and the demand on our health services is stabilising, this reinforces the need to relax the Level 3 restrictions that are negatively impacting the economy,” Maynier said.

Local tourism businesses echoed the minister’s call, with one of them saying that several tourism businesses would not survive if the ban on the sale of alcohol, the early curfew and the closure of beaches continued.

International tourist arrivals were much lower than initially anticipated for the traditional peak season. Passenger data of the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) show that international passenger travel at the Cape Town International Airport in December was a mere 19% of December 2019 volumes. Aircraft were operating at only 51% of their passenger load factors (compared to 72% in December 2019).

The domestic terminal at Cape Town International Airport saw only 51% of the volume of travellers compared with December 2019.

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