Tourism News/Updates

Good Day Members

Firstly I would like to report that our Visitor Information Centre will be opening on Monday 8 June. For now we will open from 09h00-14h00 Monday to Friday and 09h00-13h00 on a Saturday. Closed on Sundays. We have spent this week getting all our protocols in place and we feel that we are ready to receive members of the public.

I would however encourage you to make an appointment if you would like to discuss something specific. The staff and I will work shifts so as to ensure the correct number in the centre at any one time. I will continue to work from home and attend the zoom meetings and webinars from there.

Here is the final Protocols document from TBCSA that they are presenting to the minister on Tuesday. It is a very comprehensive document and as a small business you will not be implementing it all - but it serves as a great guideline.

I “attended” a very interesting webinar on Friday regarding these protocols and the fact that the TBCSA is lobbying for earlier opening of the tourism industry (shared on our facebook page).

It was stressed that for the industry to open it is vital that it can be proven that we are ready and these protocols will ensure the safety of all (ourselves, staff and visitors).

One of the panellists said that people are asking what does it help that only business tourism has opened and that aviation is opening for only business flights. The answer is that it helps the industry to de-risk and to show that it is safe. 2 of the airports have been open for some time now for repatriation flights and some movement of cargo. This has ensured that they have learnt some valuable lessons which can now be applied.

As soon as I receive that link to the recorded version of the webinar I will share it  - but as they said no specific dates but lobbying for domestic tourism opening within the next couple of weeks and then international tourism by September.

One of the comments was that this crisis has seen a great collaboration across the board of stakeholders and that this should continue.

We will do our small part in this as well and will schedule another members get to know you zoom for the end of this week.

Watch out for our live Facebook interviews - next one on Tuesday afternoon with Gareth the Padloper.

Last but not least our Design your own Gansbaai holiday competition is coming together nicely and should be launched on about the 20th of this month. The winner may just be able to take advantage of the prize in 2020 and not 2021!