Letter to the editor: ‘We cannot pin hopes on vaccinations’
Writing in response to CEO of Cullinan Holdings, Michael Tollman’s remarks that an effective vaccination roll-out was vitally important for South Africa’s tourism industry to restart, CEO of Harvest Group Management, Adrienne Harris, said industry should not pin its hopes on vaccinations.
Here is her letter in full:
“The situation in the tourism industry is heart-breaking for all of us and I really appreciate the honesty and openness of Michael’s comments.
Unfortunately, we cannot pin our hopes on vaccinations. I estimate that business from our key source markets will only show a very slow upturn from end 2022, with no recovery to pre-pandemic levels for many years. I base my opinion on a number of reasons:
1. The confusion around the actual efficacy of vaccines, especially with new variants, will continue for a number of months if not years.
2. The incompetence and political issues globally.
3. The very slow roll-out in Europe, US and others.
4. The inability for travellers to forward plan as countries open and close borders, and change quarantine rules seemingly on a whim.
5. The perception of Africa as being unable to provide adequate healthcare to tourists.
6. The massive economic downturn – economies took 10 years to recover from the Wall Street crash of 1929.
That being said, this must not stop us from putting as much pressure as possible on Government to get their act together. The chances of tourism workers of any type being considered frontline workers and getting preferential vaccination is nil, but maybe there are other interventions. Possibly the Tourism Empowerment Funds could be put to better use. This initiative, in my opinion, is badly conceived and badly timed. With a range of R10m-R20m (€564 000-€1.1m), even if the applications are towards the minimum range, it will only help about 120 companies who will most likely use the money to buy distressed assets at bargain prices.
So, we need to start thinking imaginatively and see where we can leverage funds. What about CATHSSETA (Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority)? According to its last annual report, it has about R400m (€22.6m). Is there no possibility of setting up training courses that are held in ‘accommodation bubbles’, where trainers and students are, in effect, quarantined?
This would provide income for the facilities providers and some much-needed skills development in our industry. Just as important, this would get the supply chains to start moving again.
Who else has money?
Why stop at our SETA? I am sure that they are all sitting on a lot of money.
Who else (still) has money? The foundations and international donors are still developing projects and providing grants. I worked on a Millennium Challenge Account project in Cape Verde, where the tourism income in the capital, Praia, virtually doubled due to all the consultants’ accommodation, meetings and workshops. Are there no sustainable tourism projects that could be developed?
Do any large corporates sit with unspent CSI funds? Many of these corporates, such as SAB and Coca Cola, have a stake in keeping the industry going. I’m sure they are very aware of the ‘more tourists=more Coke consumed’ equation. What about subsidising local travel opportunities for underprivileged South Africans to experience our beautiful country – this could be done as a great nation-building exercise.
I made a number of similar suggestions in a meeting with the Minister and key tourism players almost a year ago. I have no idea if anything was looked at nor whether any of these options were feasible. One thing I do know, however, is that just sitting on our hands and waiting for vaccinations will not save much of the industry.”
