Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
With reference to the international travel ban imposed on potential foreign tourists in a response to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus:
(1) Whether CapeNature would be refunding the deposits of foreign visitors who have been prevented from travelling to South Africa; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) (a) what is the expected effect of the travel ban on (i) tourism numbers and (ii) the turnover from tourism for CapeNature for the current tourism season, (b) which of CapeNature’s tourism facilities should be deemed as high-risk facilities from an infection point of view and (c) what has been the estimated loss in revenue suffered by CapeNature during the previous financial year due to lockdown regulations?
(1.) Yes, CapeNature will be providing all foreign visitors who were prevented from travelling to South Africa with a full refund and cancellation fees will not be charged. A total of nine bookings to the value of R34 445.13 has been impacted by the international travel ban.
2. (a)
(i) and ((ii) 99% of CapeNature’s booking clients are South African. Therefore, the travel restriction on international tourists will have a minimal impact on CapeNature’s tourism numbers and turnover.
(b) None of CapeNature’s tourism facilities should be deemed as high-risk facilities from an infections point of view as all tourism facilities are fully COVID-19 compliant including limited visitor carrying capacities.
(c) CapeNature lost R12 718 979 in tourism-related revenue. The tourism revenue income target was R40 508 618 for 2020/21. The entity realised R27 789 639 at the end of 2020/21.
