Some positive prospects for local tourism after lockdown ends

He is, however, positive after what President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday evening, indicating that although accommodation and air travel for leisure will remain prohibited under level 3, business travel would be allowed on dates to be announced.

“We have held discussions with the tourism, hotel and restaurant industries regarding the challenges and hardships these sectors are experiencing,” Ramaphosa said.

In Hazyview, the tourism community stays in touch on a daily basis via a WhatsApp group, Safe Tourism Hazyview. Essential matters such as the latest lockdown regulations and practical information and assistance with UIF claims are discussed, as well as the basic pep talk among smaller establishments and single operators.

Other than a limited amount of guest facilities that were granted leave to offer accommodation to essential workers during level 4, the town and its surrounding hotels, lodges and resorts remain in mothballs. Small steps towards some relief are expected in June, Harvey said.

This means a total of at least 10 000 empty beds, of which about a half are in the timeshare market. Another positive point is that the opening of the domestic market seems to be much sooner than previously expected. At some stage, the fear was that all will have to remain closed until September.

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The winter bookings, though counteracted by many cancellations, still look promising. For visitors from the Cape as well as Gauteng, the Lowveld remains a popular winter destination. As soon as the Kruger National Park opens its gates, people will start to arrive.

Many will experience a serious bout of cabin fever after the months of lockdown and the call of the wide-open spaces will most definitely count in favour of the Lowveld, which is less than four hours’ drive from a cold and miserable Gauteng and surrounds, said Harvie. Local operators must keep this in mind and be ready to accommodate this expected influx from the beginning of July.

The government does have a responsibility towards a community like Hazyview where tourism is a major employer. The industry will not be able to accommodate that much so soon. An average of only a third of the initial workforce returning to the industry is a realistic projection at this stage, he added.

Those suffering most is the game viewing industry and its operators – from the larger fleet owners to the single operators. Many of them are from the emerging business and field guide sectors and were just starting to participate in the local tourism industry.

Hazyview Herald is currently in the process of investigating this current disastrous matter. The paper hopes to report on this soon.

The domestic visitor also needs to realise that game viewing is a wonderful experience not only for the foreign and luxury market.

Operators have to come up with a rate to make it more accessible to the budget traveller in order to survive. The same goes for high-end five-star operators and establishments.

A more affordable, fewer frills package needs to be devised, should they hope to open sooner.

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