The new Covid-19 variant, known as Omicron, has motivated various countries to impose travel restrictions on South Africa, halting tourism and eliminating the country’s plans to restart the battered cruising industry.
Picture: Getaway Gallery
According to TimesLive, a German-based travel company called TUI Group supposedly rerouted a ship that was scheduled to arrive in Cape Town’s harbour. The ship carrying hundreds of passengers halted and derailed its journey when news of the Omicron variant was disseminated across the globe.
Norwegian Cruise Line has also taken precautionary measures, spurred by the Omicron variant, by cancelling at least five sailings in South Africa. The cruise line had initially planned for several voyages, such as the Azamara, the Crystal Cruises and the Silversea, to take place from South African ports between December 3, 2021 and January 26, 2022. These trips will be postponed until further notice.
Another cruise liner, the Europa arrived in Cape Town’s harbour from Namibia on 30 November and was the first to dock at Cape Town since South Africa’s ban on all cruise ships in March 2020. ‘Some passengers will disembark to fly home while others will stay on board for the return journey,’ said Wrenelle Stander, CEO of Wesgro, the trade and investment agency for the Western Cape according to TimesLive.
MSC Cruises, however has announced they will continue with their scheduled sailings in South Africa despite travel restrictions and the reactions of other cruise lines. The cruise liner’s South African branch will be unaffected by current travel restrictions because it is only open to residents of South Africa. In a public statement, the company announced that ‘they will operate under the protection of our health and safety protocol and in line with health guidelines as issued by local authorities as they apply to the population for all activities in that country.’
The reopening of cruises is essential to the recovery of South Africa’s tourism sector. According to officials, it is estimated that around 75, 000 tourism jobs were lost during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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