International travellers told: SA to remain closed to tourists until 2021

Tourism-related businesses like airlines, bed and breakfasts, hotels, tour operators and car rental companies were hit early and hard by the Covid-19 containment measures implemented worldwide. They are also likely to be the last to get back to normality as governments exercise caution in easing lockdown. The South African tourism sector looks like it is in for particularly difficult times, given the country's strict lockdown measures. The word is out to potential holidaymakers from the UK that South Africa should be scratched from the list of possible destinations until next year. – Jackie Cameron

By Thulasizwe Sithole

Despite many countries around the world preparing to open their borders to tourists, a holiday in South Africa will likely be off the cards until 2021. This is the message to readers of the popular travel section of The Telegraph newspaper and news website in Britain.

"Those wanting to travel to South Africa will have to be patient, after it emerged that the South African government isn't planning on opening to tourism until next year. Like much of the rest of the world, South Africa went into lockdown in March, and is now beginning to ease restrictions for residents," says the news organisation.

After a briefing from South Africa's Department of Tourism on May 27, it was reported that domestic tourism won't resume in full until December 2020, and international tourism won't resume in South Africa until February 2021. 

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