The tourism industry waits with bated breath to see whether South Africa will implement harsher lockdown restrictions in the coming days. With the surge in Covid-19 cases, some are predicting the worst.

If President Cyril Ramaphosa does implement restrictions, questions like, what impact would it have on the SA travel industry? Would the country be placed back into level 5? Would inter-provincial travel be permitted? Would he permit intra-provincial travel? Or no travel at all?

Only time will tell, and the decision for stricter lockdown will depend on the infection rate.

Last year’s heavy lockdown saw many travel businesses close down or battle to stay afloat. The travel industry believes that harsher third wave restrictions could signal the death knell for recovery efforts.

And, with my countries restricting travel to South Africa, the industry may not survive if domestic travel is limited or restricted altogether.

Rosemary Anderson, FEDHASA National Chairperson, said responsible trade within the tourism and hospitality sectors and people abiding by health and safety protocols remain key to the sector’s survival.

“The statistics released this week by Statistics South Africa, with focus on the accommodation and the food & beverage for the month of April 2021, have shown income from accommodation decreased by 32,2% in the three months ended April 2021 compared with the three months ended April 2020. The negative contributors to this decrease were hotels (-40,4% and contributing -27,3 percentage points); and ‘other’ accommodation (-18,6% and contributing -5,2 percentage points).

“These statistics indicate how financially damaged the sector was, and it does not bode well for the survival of the hospitality and tourism industry if there are further and harsher restrictions imposed,” she said.

According to her, the industry’s survival depends on the swift vaccination rollout.

“The efforts taken to secure vaccines and speed-up the vaccination programme is a welcome development. However, mass vaccination of South African residents is the only solution in the industry’s fight against Covid-19. We still believe it to be the way forward,” she said.

“Although we are in the grip of the third wave, there is no sector as cognisant of the direct relationship between adherence to protocols and the recovery of the sector than the hospitality and tourism industry, “she added.

In the meantime, travel expert Jennifer Morris said that travellers should avoid hotspot areas entirely if they could.

“If you want to proceed with your holiday, book accommodation away from crowds, like self-catering, game lodges or boutique hotels. These kinds of establishments allow for ample social distancing and greater peace of mind.

“Also ensure that your establishment and activity operators are Covid-19 compliant. They need to share its Covid compliance on the website and throughout the property,” she told IOL Travel this week.

Source: IOL

Uganda has been placed on the United Kingdom’s travel ban red list.

This is due to a significant rise in COVID-19 cases in the country that led to the announcement of more restriction measures by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

The ban goes into effect on Wednesday but Britain announced that residents and returning nationals would be allowed into the country from when the ban becomes effective.

“Only British nationals, Irish nationals and third-country nationals with residence rights in the UK who have departed from or transited Uganda within 10 days prior to their arrival in the UK will be required to quarantine for 10 days in a government-approved facility,” the statement reads in part.

“All measures announced are designed to give travelers and the travel sector more certainty, will be kept under review, and further action may be taken to protect public health.”

Eritrea, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mongolia and Tunisia are the other countries newly added to the UK’s red list.

Uganda is now battling its second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country has seen positive cases and deaths rise since late May.

However, Uganda’s international borders, including the main airport, remain open to travelers who prove they have taken a PCR test with a negative result. This does not include travelers arriving from India.

Nairobi-based Kenya Airways has said that it will resume flights from Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) to London Heathrow (LHR) starting Saturday, June 26, 2021. All flights between Kenya and the United Kingdom ceased on April 9, 2021, after the UK government added Kenya to its “red list” of countries.

Based on the COVID-19 infection rate, counties are listed as either green (no restrictions), amber (some restrictions), or red (mandatory ten-day quarantine). People returning to the UK from red countries must quarantine in a government-approved hotel for a minimum of ten days at their own expense. The price for the hotel stay is £1,750 ($2,417), per adult and while there, they must take two COVID-19 PCR tests that prove negative.

The Kenyan government retaliated

Following the news that Kenya was being added to the UK red list, the Kenyan government retaliated by banning flights to the East African nation from the UK. By doing this, the Kenyan government effectively put another nail in Kenya Airways’ coffin on the back of a yearly $330 million loss. 

In early June, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) extended the ban for a second time to August 24, 2021. Now fearing that its essential summer tourism season would be affected, the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that flights between Kenya and the UK had the go-ahead to resume.

The high season for tourists visiting Kenya comes during the dry period between July and September. It is when the world-renowned migration of wildebeest and zebra through Maasai Mara Game Reserve takes place.

Kenya needs tourism

Kenyan business news website Business Daily quotes a letter from the Ministry to the British High Commission which says:

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya presents its compliments to the British High Commission and has the honor to convey the decision … to lift all flight restrictions between Kenya and the United Kingdom.”

“All passengers irrespective of nationality and residency status coming to Kenya from the United Kingdom, irrespective of their route of travel to Kenya, shall be required to self-isolate upon arrival and take a subsequent test for four days after arrival,” the letter added.

In response to the good news, the website allAfrica quotes Kenya Airways acting Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Julius Thairu of saying the following:

“The resumption of flights to London, United Kingdom (UK) is in line with our plans to grow and expand our routes as restrictions lift which will positively impact the flow of trade and tourism across the region by offering our customers convenient travel across the world. This route offers our customers convenient connections to key destinations. We remain fully committed to offering our customers an onboard travel experience that has their health and safety in mind.”

To coincide with the resumption of flights between Nairobi and London, both counties have issued health protocols that arriving passengers must adhere to.

Kenya is still on the red list

United Kingdom Rules:

Passengers traveling to the UK from Kenya must be either UK national, Irish nationals or have a right of residence in the UK. They will also need to provide a negative COVID-19 certificate three days before travel, book a government-approved quarantine hotel within 14-days before arrival and take two COVID-19 tests if they have been in a red list country or territory ten days before arriving in the UK.

Kenya Rules:

Passengers arriving in Kenya from the United Kingdom must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate conducted within 96 hours before arrival. This rule does not apply to children under five years old. Once in Kenya, they must self-isolate for seven days and take a second COVID-19 PCR test four days after arrival.

While it is nice to see Kenya Airways Nairobi to London flights return, it is hard to imagine that they will be busy since Kenya remains on the UK’s red list.

Source: Simple Flying

Dubai is set to be the next big health tourism destination, with the emirate’s high vaccination rate boosting visitors’ confidence, a top health official has said.

“That is going to be the next big draw to Dubai. The UAE is the world’s most vaccinated country. With the world-class health infrastructure we have, people will look at Dubai as the next big destination for health tourism,” Dr Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of the Health Regulation Sector at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview.

The UAE has now overtaken Israel and became the most vaccinated country in the world. As on Friday, the Emirates has administered over 13.2 million vaccine doses.

Dr Marwan said Dubai’s track record in dealing with Covid will encourage people to travel to the emirate not just for tourism but to seek quality healthcare.

“We are looking at markets like India, West Africa, Russia and even Europe for medical tourism. Our healthcare infrastructure has only strengthened after Covid-19.”

He said Dubai has a total of 40,000 licensed healthcare professionals in the public and private sector and the emirate is ready to offer elective health and wellness treatments to visitors.

With a government strategy to promote Dubai as a global medical hub and an increased investment in the health sector, the emirate is expected to attract 500,000 medical tourists this year, as per a study by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 2018, the city received about 337,000 medical tourists. Orthopaedics, sports medicine, dermatology and skin care, dentistry and fertility treatment are the top specialities attracting health tourists to Dubai.

A report by Euromonitor International forecasts UAE’s medical tourism revenues to touch Dh19 billion by 2023.

Recently, the DHA has launched the Dubai Health Experience (DXH), an online portal where visitors can book appointments with doctors and plan their medical itineraries.

Dr Marwan said that since Dubai is relying a “lot on tourism” — whether it is health or business tourism — it cannot afford a lockdown.

“We believe that the burden of the diseases should not be more than the burden of the treatment. Dubai is a very good example that we can control and contain the disease but at the same time allow business to flourish and continue. Otherwise, it will create a huge financial impact on all populations.”

“Covid will continue with mutations. We need to take precautionary measures and move on,” he added.

Source: Khaleej Times

South Africa has agreed to sell the federal government’s majority stake in the cash-strapped national airlines, the South African Airways (SAA), to a consortium that includes a local private equity firm and a jet leasing company.

South Africa has agreed to sell the federal government’s majority stake in the cash-strapped national airlines, the South African Airways (SAA), to a consortium that includes a local private equity firm and a jet leasing company, the country’s public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan informed on Friday. The SAA, the second-largest airline in the entire continent, was grounded in December last year and had since been a drain on state finances, news agencies reported.

The SAA, despite being one of the largest airlines in Africa — second only to the Ethiopian Airlines — had not turned in a profit since 2011. It was placed under a state-approved rescue plan in December 2019 to save it from collapse, AFP reported, adding that the airline was one of the many symbols of “the mismanagement of state-owned enterprises” that characterised ex-South African president Jacob Zuma’s regime. The airlines was having a hard time surviving even way before the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, only managing to survive on state bailouts.

“Having evaluated the current environment, the government has agreed to the (strategic equity partner) owning of 51% of the shareholding and government 49%,” South Africa’s public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan said in an online media conference.

The consortium to which South Africa is selling its national airlines comprises of private-equity firm Harith General Partners, an investor in African infrastructure and airports, and Johannesburg-based airline management and leasing firm Global Airways, which owns the recently launched domestic budget airline LIFT. The consortium will own the majority 51% share while the government will retain the minority 49% stakes in the shareholding, the minister informed, adding that the new SAA will not be “dependent” on the government.

Source: Aviation Pros

The Kenya Society in the UK has said the lifting of the ban on UK flights by Nairobi is not enough.

Instead, the society maintains Kenya should be removed from the UK red list and a roadmap put in place to upgrade it to amber and green status.

In a letter seen by the Star by chairman Patrick Orr to UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott, the Kenya Society asks the envoy to urge the British government to conduct an immediate review of Kenya’s red listing status.

“The current measures are negatively impacting on UK-Kenya relations and most of those canvassed feel there is already long-term damage. This is exacerbated by the circulation of data analysis among members calling into question just how significant the number of variant positive UK arrivals were from Kenya around the time when the original decision was taken,” Orr writes.

Kenya on Friday lifted the travel ban and Covid-19 restrictions for passengers and crew from the UK.  The UK is, however, yet to remove Kenya from the red list.

A British High Commission spokesperson said the red list is kept under constant review and they will not hesitate to act when needed.

“We do not provide a running commentary on whether specific countries may be removed or added to the red list,” she said.  

The Kenya Society says although the damage has been done, some people feel there is an opportunity for the relationship to be restored through prompt action by the UK government.

“50 per cent of those surveyed are experiencing a negative impact on business. The majority of these (67 per cent) are projecting revenue loss greater than 40 per cent year-on-year for FY21/22. This is having further impacts on conservation and environmental efforts. Most people in our survey are also experiencing a high human cost from this measure,” the letter reads in part.

The leading issues cited are poor mental health, breaking up of family nuclei and disruption to education.

The society says there is a clear sense coming through that the measures taken against Kenya are disproportionate.

“We look forward to your support for positive action by the UK to remove Kenya from the red list and resume the strong strategic partnership between our two countries,” Orr writes.

The UK on April 2 announced that Kenyans or anybody transiting through Kenyan airports was banned from setting foot in the UK starting April 9 citing the South African virus variant.

Kenya responded in kind and placed strict conditions for UK nationals travelling to Kenya.

To deescalate the situation, Kenya and the UK agreed to establish a joint emergency committee to address Covid-19 emergency travel restrictions following talks by Foreign Affairs CS Raychelle Omamo and UK counterpart Dominic Raab.

The committee first met on April 15 and was co-chaired by Foreign Affairs PS Macharia Kamau and Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office Africa Director Irfan Siddiq.

It agreed to form technical groups to address the issues and report back to the main committee “in the next few days”. No progress has been made public since.

The British High Commission spokesperson told the Star the Committee agreed to form technical groups to address the issues and “we continue to engage on the thematic issues on a regular basis”.

A review conducted by Levanter Africa on behalf of the Kenya Society says the rationale for Kenya being on the UK red list doesn’t match the Covid-19 evidence.

“The UK, unfortunately, has struggled more with controlling and managing the effects of the pandemic, but most countries have not imposed travel bans and restrictions for the respect of mutual respect and relations,” the report says.

In its review, Levanter Africa says data from March 26 to 7 April shows of the 1,161 arrivals into England, only 29 tested positives for Covid-19 (2.5 per cent) and not one variant was detected.

“In the two weeks following Kenya’s addition to the red list, of the 694 arrivals, only nine tested positive (1.3 per cent) with, again, zero variants detected. This clearly shows that the “increased risk of importation of variants” was exaggerated and scientifically flawed,” Levanter Africa says.

It further says the lack of subsequent action from the UK indicates the continuation of Kenya sitting on the red list is “exceedingly politically biased”, particularly when compared to countries on the UK’s amber and green lists with far worse Covid rates than Kenya.

Source: The Star

Emirates is ramping up its schedules as demand rebounds. The Dubai-based giant will deploy 30 of its Airbus A380s and fly to 124 destinations in July. Europe and North America will see a flurry of resumed routes as they quickly reopen to tourists. Let’s find out more about Emirates’ A380 deployment.

Rising

In a statement today, Emirates announced that will deploy 30 of its Airbus A380s to meet the growing travel demand this summer. The planes will serve 15 destinations, down from 18 previously planned, with 129 weekly frequencies. Passengers can fly the superjumbo on routes as short as two hours to 15 hours, depending on their destinations.

Emirates President Sir Tim Clark recently revealed that the airline is currently flying 15 to 20 of its A380s every week. This means July will see the number of Emirates superjumbos sky almost double as tourists look to fly once again.

In total, Emirates operates a fleet of 118 Airbus A380-800s. This means only 25% of the superjumbos will be returning more than a year after COVID-19 first decimated international travel. However, considering Emirates had zero A380s flying in the spring of 2020, this summer marks a sharp and substantial recovery.

Major destinations

Emirates will be deploying the A380 to the following destinations:

• North America: New York JFK, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Toronto.
• Europe: London Heathrow, Manchester, Frankfurt, Munich, Moscow, Paris, and Vienna.
• Middle East: Amman, Cairo, Jeddah.
• Asia-Pacific: Guangzhou

Back in March, Emirates filed plans to fly the superjumbo to 18 cities this summer. Since then, Morocco, Mumbai, Johannesburg, Beijing, and Shanghai and have been dropped. While the latter two have likely been dropped due to China’s strict entry restrictions, Mumbai and Johannesburg are both considered high-risk regions due to new virus variants. Instead, the carrier has added Frankfurt and Vienna due to stronger demand.

Countries preparing

In total, Emirates will operate flights to 124 destinations starting this July, which represents almost 90% of its pre-pandemic network. The airline has been launching new routes as well, the most recent one being to Miami. However, capacity deployment remains closely linked to travel restrictions imposed by countries.

The European Union has begun easing travel restrictions for passengers from much of the world, allowing traffic to quickly return. Countries like Spain, Greece, Italy, and Austria are all hoping for a strong summer recovery as vaccinations quickly roll out in parts of the world.

For Emirates, the summer of 2021 will likely mark a turning point after a difficult year. The carrier reported a record $5.5 billion loss as the pandemic decimated business last year. While 2021 continues to see fewer passengers, hopefully, the worst for the airline is over.

Source: Simple Flying

Kenya has moved to safeguard its tourism sector from further hits by lifting a ban on passenger flights between Nairobi and London ahead of the peak Summer season.

In a surprise move, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday announced the resumption of flights to the UK after nearly a three-month hiatus. This came barely a week after the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) extended the ban for a second time to August 24.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya presents its compliments to the British High Commission and has the honour to convey the decision … to lift all flights restrictions between Kenya and the United Kingdom,” read the letter.

The arrivals from the UK to Kenya, will, however, be required to self-isolate for seven days and must have a valid Covid-19 negative certificate conducted within 96 hours before travel.

“All passengers irrespective of nationality and residency status coming to Kenya from the United Kingdom, irrespective of their route of travel to Kenya, shall be required to self-isolate upon arrival and take a subsequent test for four days after arrival,” the letter added.

Kenya banned flights from the UK, effective April 9 in retaliation to a move by the UK to add the country to its travel ‘Red List’. The initial freeze on flights on the route was to expire on May 5 but was extended to June 6.

The decision by Kenya to restore these flights comes as a boost to Kenya Airways and the hospitality ahead of the main tourism season.

Kenya’s tourism season traditionally peaks from July to September, coinciding with the country’s dry season and the world-renowned migration of wildebeest and zebra through Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

The UK has been a top tourism source market for Kenya.

In 2019, the UK emerged fourth in ranking, tourists who visited having hit 181,484.

The tourism sector in Kenya is thirsty for revival after suffering the worst hits by the economic fallout of Covid-19 that curtailed movement.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) showed that international arrivals dropped from 1.54 million in 2019 to 439,447 in 2020 after the government banned all local and international flights in March, resulting in low tourist traffic at hotels and animal parks.

The Ministry of Tourism announced that Kenya would lose up to Sh80 billion from tourism last year after an impressive performance in 2019 where the sector earned Sh163.6 billion, a 3.9 percent rise from Sh157.4 billion in 2018.

The Treasury has marked tourism among its priority sectors to drive the revival of the economy—a position that may have informed the decision to restore flights between London and Nairobi.

In his 2021/2022 budget, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani handed Sh2.3 billion to the tourism sector to help it recover from an economic fallout caused by the coronavirus.

He allocated Sh1.7 billion to the Tourism Fund and Sh643 million to the Tourism Promotion Fund to help lift the sector battered by the effects of the pandemic.

Apart from hitting tourism and air travel, the travel blockades had raised concerns over negative effects on trade and bilateral ties such as military co-operation between the two countries.

Kenya is engaged in talks for a critical new bilateral trade deal with the UK post-Brexit, hoping to cushion its economy after partner States of the East African Community (EAC) failed to conclude an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EU. Only Kenya signed and ratified the deal.

Until the end of the Brexit transition period, Kenya enjoyed duty-free and quota-free access to the UK’s markets through the EU’s Market Access Regulation (MAR). As the UK did not replicate the MAR at the end of the transition period, Kenya would have faced an increase in tariffs without a trade agreement or other measures in place.

Source: Business Daily

Expo 2020 Dubai chief says Africa represents the future – not just for Africans, but for the entire world

For the first time in the 170-year history of World Expos, every African nation will participate with its own pavilion at the Dubai edition, which opens in October.

Expo 2020 Dubai will showcase the continent’s vast potential – including its innovations, business opportunities and incredible art, culture, heritage and natural beauty.

For six months from October 1, more than 190 participating nations, including every country in Africa, will gather in the UAE to broaden horizons and exchange ideas that inspire action to tackle real-life challenges and spur positive change.

Expo 2020 is expected to open up new markets, offering an unrivalled opportunity for African countries to reach an international audience, seek investments and forge new partnerships that will reinvigorate their economies.

Africa’s participation at Expo 2020 is testament to the long-standing friendship between the UAE and Africa, a statement said.

Africa’s population of more than 1.3 billion is predicted to double by the middle of this century, potentially rising to four billion people by 2100.

How the continent embraces its accomplishments and overcomes its challenges – from the global health pandemic to climate change, sustainable food supplies, and equal access to the basic human rights of education, digitalisation and healthcare – will have enormous implications in the continent and beyond.

Reem Al Hashimy (pictured above), UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and director general, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Africa is the future – not just for Africans, but for the entire world. The youngest, fastest-growing continent on the planet is brimming with promise, and the global community has a shared responsibility to ensure it grasps that opportunity for the good of us all.

“Huge strides have been made since the Organisation of African Unity was founded in 1963, and we will continue that momentum at Expo 2020, where Africa and everything it has to offer will be accessible to the world in new and unexpected ways – encouraging connections, boosting collaborations and helping drive widespread progress and prosperity.”

Visitors to Expo will be able to taste Ethiopia’s next big super-grain and chocolate from Ivory Coast, invest in Kenya’s croton nuts energy and explore Gabon’s space ambitions.

They will witness Rwanda’s remarkable transformation into a tech-centric hub and model of African progress, discover how Ylang Ylang drives the perfume industry in the Comoros, and how Seychelles’ pioneering blue bond has set the agenda for creative ways to safeguard our oceans.

In another first, the African Union will host a pavilion at Expo 2020 – a colourful arena devoid of national borders that will highlight the continent’s vast potential and ambitions, reflected in its Agenda 2063 aspirations that address agriculture, transport, science and technology, and health.

Dr Levi Uche Madueke, Commissioner General of the African Union at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “With our rich natural resources, ingenuity and youthful population, there are many potential areas for growth. Africa has a lot to offer. It is time for us to reach out to the world, for the world to understand us and see how they can collaborate with us. Expo provides the best platform for us to tell this story and promote a continent that is ready to move forward and a secure place to do business.”

Many African nations have already revealed glimpses of the exciting programming they will bring to Expo 2020.

Visitors to the Ethiopia pavilion will meet a replica of ‘Lucy’, the world’s oldest human fossil, while Nigeria will share its Afrobeat music and burgeoning ‘Nollywood’ film scene as it showcases the abundance of opportunities available in its agriculture, manufacturing, minerals, ICT, energy and creative industries.

Expo 2020’s subthemes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability go to the heart of the future aspirations of Africa – ensuring jobs, education and healthcare for all, easy and equitable access to transport and ideas and balancing development with preserving the environment for future generations.

Expo Live also supports projects offering creative solutions to pressing challenges that impact people’s lives or help preserve the planet. The programme is providing funding, guidance and exposure to 140 grantees from 76 countries, including 36 grantees that are making a significant impact in Africa.

Source: Arabian Business