This is the warning by the hospitality industry as an announcement is expected today on whether beaches would close during the festive season to curb the second wave of the coronavirus.The province has banned all mass events that were planned for the festive season in the wake of the Covid-19 resurge.
Should the beaches close, it would be the final nail in the coffin of the tourism industry that was still reeling from the lockdown, said Peter Rose, Chairperson of Umhlanga Tourism. Tungay said the tourism industry lost 40% to 60% of its revenue as a result of the lockdown, adding that a beach closure would be absolute devastation.
“We are not going to stop tourists from getting into hotels. People may be allowed to walk on the beaches but that is still under discussion.
SundayTribuneSA This is selfish statement
SundayTribuneSA Saving peoples’ lives takes precedence. That is the posture we have chosen. It works for us. We do not want to find ourselves forced into a hard lockdown like europe has. At that point there will be no businesses to even speak of. A responsible cut back now will not kill anyone.
SundayTribuneSA The Business then, must be in beaches, to ensure people are swimming wearing masks, if it ever happened for people to swim wearing masks.
SundayTribuneSA And a triumph for humanity and human kind, for we know how to resuscitate economies but we still struggling a bit on dead humans. But money is much more important right.
SundayTribuneSA Opening it will be disaster for beach goers.