Though the situation is serious, experts still feel that the
travel ban is not required. The tourism industry in South Africa contributed
around 3 percent of GDP. But the new travel bans have created a huge problem,
given this was the recovery time for the already struggling sector.
This has also impacted the safari sector of the African
continent. Recent travel bans on South Africa and neighboring countries have
hampered the country’s safari business immensely. The country was already hard
hit by the pandemic but now with the discovery of Omicron, things look grimmer.
"The threat of the fourth wave and new mutation of the
#coronavirus resulting from the recently discovered variant potentially looms
large in the horizon." @DDMabuza #SanacPlenary
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦
(@PresidencyZA) November 27, 2021
In 2020, South Africa’s tourism industry experienced more
than 70 percent drop in foreign tourists due to the pandemic. In 2019, around
15 million tourists visited the country but in 2020, the number dropped to less
than 5 million.
In South Africa, 4.7 percent of the workforce is involved in
tourism and safari businesses. Britain, which happened to be one of the biggest
sources of tourists to South Africa, removed its travel restrictions on African
nations in October. Things were just getting better for safari operators amid
the holiday season and new year plans but then Omicron happened and created
chaos.
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