- South Africa’s Covid-19
regulations have been repealed, allowing venues and events to fill to full
capacity. - This comes as a major boost
for the country’s embattled tourism and hospitality sectors. - The country’s meetings,
incentives, conventions, and exhibitions industry welcomed almost a million
business delegates before the pandemic. - For more stories go to
www.BusinessInsider.co.za.
South Africa’s interlinked tourism,
hospitality, and events sectors are expected to boom on the back of government
repealing the last remaining Covid-19 regulations.
South Africa has no more regulations
governing the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as per a repeal notice
gazetted by Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Wednesday evening.
Face masks are no longer required in
any public-use indoor space or when on public transport. Travellers entering
the country don’t have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and won’t need to
produce a negative test result either. Social gatherings aren’t limited to
certain numbers of attendees.
The scrapping of all Covid-19
regulations has been welcomed by the tourism and hospitality sector, which were
badly bruised by two years of pandemic-induced restrictions. The latest repeal
makes it easier for tourists to visit South Africa, and dropping restrictions
on social gatherings makes it possible for the country’s embattled events
sector to rebound at full capacity.
“We are absolutely thrilled that
government has lifted the restriction of 50%-only capacity in conferences,
events, exhibitions, musical events, and big stadium events,” said
Rosemary Anderson, national chairperson of the Federated Hospitality
Association of South Africa (FEDHASA).
“This will really help our
industry get back on its feet because we now have clarity and certainties. We
can actually plan in advance, which is exactly what our industry needs. We’ve
got lots of work to do to catch up all the events and conferences that we lost,
especially in the international market, but our…