SA tourism sector get ready: The Americans are coming!

In a recent interview, Tourism Minister Mmamaloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced that American visitors are returning to South Africa in their numbers.

Speaking to eNCA from OR Tambo International Airport on 4 June at the arrival of United Airlines’ inaugural flight to Johannesburg, the tourism minister praised United Airlines’ decision to start up direct scheduled flights to South Africa while the country was working hard to restore its beleaguered tourism industry.

Kubayi-Ngubane said the launch of the direct flights between South Africa and the US would facilitate the return of American tourists to South Africa and that this would speed up recovery for the country’s tourism sector at a time when many countries had raised travel bans against South Africa.

TOP TOURISM SOURCE MARKETS

The minister said that Americans were an important tourism market for South Africa. Kubayi-Ngubane said that the latest tourism statistics for South Africa indicated that the USA had become South Africa’s top tourism source country, followed by Germany and other countries in Africa.  

“The USA is critical for us. In terms of the analysis, they have become our number 1 key source market, followed by Germany and the rest of Africa,” the minister said.

SA WELCOMES US VISITORS

The minister praised the return of visitors from the United States and stated that South Africa’s tourism sector is both ready and eager to host international tourists back to the country.

“We are hungry for this business. We are hungry to see the travellers. We will look after them very well,” she said.

Kubayi-Ngubane said that international travellers visiting South Africa can place their trust and confidence in the country’s ability to provide a safe tourism experience for international tourists.   

“With over a year’s experience in how to manage the pandemic, we’ve put in place protocols that all of us can observe. We as the tourism sector have issued norms and standards. These are becoming normal things for us in the sector,” she said.

SA IS SAFE AND READY

Several countries have imposed lengthy travel bans upon South Africa or issued travel advisories against travel to South Africa. The minister said that the return of international travelers from the USA to South Africa signalled a turning point for South Africa with regards to its reputation as being a risky destination to travel to.

“We’re also saying this builds confidence to those countries that have red-listed us. There is absolutely no reason for any country to put us on the red list because we’ve managed this pandemic very well.  If you look at our numbers, our recovery rate, our mortality rate, it’s positive. Positive news is good news – in terms of the management and containment of the virus in the country.” Kubayi-Ngubane said.

HOPE FOR RETURN OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS

The minister was pleased that visitors from the USA are travelling to South Africa once again and said that there is hope on the horizon for South Africa’s embattled tourism sector.

“The fact that it (the United Airlines’ flight) arrived today with 95% capacity – and tomorrow, I’m informed that the flight is 100% full – is good news. It says the message we’ve been sending about South Africa being a safe destination of choice is resonating well,” she said.

The return of Delta Airlines to South Africa later in the year as well as the restart of United Airlines’ Cape Town flights in October is set to aid the recovery of South Africa’s tourism sector by bringing increasing numbers of American travellers to our shores.