Vaccine hesitancy may hamper tourism industry's recovery

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Sean Bradley, chief business development officer for major travel group Travelwings, feels that more needs to be done from a communication perspective where leading experts share facts and address fears.

Vaccinations are the only way for the South African tourism industry to recover from the Covid spiral – but the danger is foreign tourists will avoid SA because the jab rate is so low and hesitancy is so high. The maths is simple. Vaccinated and sanitised environments are the only ways to bring back tourists – both local and foreign. The numbers are staggering.

The African tourism industry may lose around $250 billion this year as a direct result of Covid and in South Africa the picture remains just as bleak with arrival numbers dropping by more than 72% last year, according to Stats SA. He feels that more needs to be done from a communication perspective where leading experts share facts and address fears.

“We do feel that over and above personal protection equipment and sanitary protections, vaccination forms another layer of protection for all, especially as a public-facing industry.”FlySafair’s Kirby Gordon said the carrier will continue to take direction from authorities, but the airline is encouraging staff to get vaccinated and “doing what we can to make getting a vaccine as easy as possible for our teams”.

“Ensuring our country is fully vaccinated will benefit the tourism sector and the economy as it will unlock travel between South Africa and the rest of the world. Presently, getting the jab is voluntary. Economist Dawie Roodt said: “The correct approach is to educate people and try to convince them to vaccinate voluntarily. If they do not want to get vaccinated, then try to deploy them where they are not client facing.”

 

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