Valued stakeholders and partners in tourism,
This edition of Tourism Talk is being disseminated at a pivotal moment in our province’s history; a moment that requires all of us who champion and depend on tourism to come together like never before.
2020 has proven a cataclysmic year for our industry. Across all our industries, product owners have been severely impacted. Some, tragically, have not been able to recover from the losses brought about by the global pandemic, and the restrictions it necessitated.
But despite the challenges, our province found itself on the cusp of what was poised to be a robust recovery, thanks to the discipline and resolve we showed during the third quarter of the year.
By November, we had clawed back to over 80% of bookings, on average, compared to the previous year – with every indication that our strong, focused destination marketing efforts would continue to bear fruit going into 2021.
Unfortunately, the second wave of COVID-19 – while anticipated – has proven both longer and more severe than we could have imagined and has resulted in further stringent limitations of tourism access and activities throughout our province.
This is a very unfortunate development, and the collective frustration of our product owners is understandable. However, our actions over the next few weeks, during what is traditionally a highly congested holiday period, will be critical in determining whether the Eastern Cape resumes its previous recovery trajectory.
This is not the time to relax our safety measures.
What we do over the next few weeks – the examples we set and the health measures we maintain, both internally and for our guests and visitors, will determine what our industry looks like by Easter, the July holidays and when the next Christmas season rolls around.
We have suffered tremendous losses, but we are still standing. We are rebuilding and repositioning our province for a new era. We have been focused and disciplined. Please stay the course.
Our recovery is in your hands.
Thank you everyone who has been part of this build-back-better effort over the past few months. On behalf of all at the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency, I extend my warmest season’s greetings and wish you, your family and your loved ones a peaceful, prosperous and – above all – safe New Year.
