TBCSA WELCOMES THE REMOVAL OF SOUTH AFRICA FROM UK RED LIST
Johannesburg, 8 October 2021 – The United Kingdom (UK) government has officially removed South Africa (SA) from the UK Red List, a move that will provide massive relief to the tourism industry ahead of one of the busiest UK-SA travel times of the year.
The removal will see an ease in UK-SA COVID-19 travel restrictions and requirements, specifically for vaccinated travelers. Fully vaccinated passengers returning from countries and territories and entering the UK will no longer have to go through the costly 10-day quarantine requirement and expensive testing requirements that discouraged traveling. The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) welcomes this decision as the UK is the tourism industry’s biggest source market and contributes immensely to the sector.
“The TBCSA welcomes this decision and would like to acknowledge and show gratitude to all the strategic advocacy partners that were involved in the lobbying processes for this decision. This includes President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Health, Dr. Joe Phaahla, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor, and the South African science community, more importantly, the private sector’s tourism organisations that have been working on the matter”. said Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa.
The recovery of the tourism sector can only be realised when we continue to see many countries that are key drivers of tourist numbers to South Africa allowing their citizens to travel to South Africa freely. The UK government has demonstrated through its decision that traveling to South Africa is safe. “South Africa as a destination has to be trusted by international travelers and the source of that trust is through getting as many of our staff vaccinated as well as following all COVID-19 protocols to safeguard the industry. The last thing we want is a message going back to the UK that we as a country and a sector are not following protocols, we certainly don’t want to be restricted again”. Said Tshivhengwa.
Image credit Jacky Lo
