Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier, has described South Africa’s removal from the United Kingdom’s ‘red list’ as great news for the province.
According to Maynier, the decision brings an end to a baffling diplomatic shamble that risked the economic recovery of the tourism and hospitality sector in the Western Cape. Maynier says the UK is a key source market for tourism in the Western Cape.
” In 2019, approximately 194,900 UK tourists visited the Western Cape, spending on average R24,200 per tourist. The decision couldn’t have come at a better time allowing long-separated friends and families to reunite and the many tourists who regularly visit the Western Cape to enjoy our affordable and unique attractions over the summer season,” Maynier explained.
Read also: South Africa officially off UK’s ‘Red List’ from Monday
Maynier mentioned further that this will also provide much-needed relief for the tourism and hospitality sector supporting the province’s road to economic recovery.
” So we now look forward to welcoming visitors from the UK back to the Western Cape with the first British Airways flight between London Heathrow and Cape Town International Airport scheduled to resume from the 1 November 2021,” Maynier said.
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