You can travel within your province, leisure travel is open, claims tourism body

The Tourism Business Council of SA has interpreted the new level 3 regulations to mean that intra-provincial leisure travel can resume.

UPDATE: The official word is that leisure travel is not allowed - Fedhasa

Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said last week that leisure tourism remains closed.

However, the CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa says the gazetted regulations can be interpreted differently.

Amid confusion over the Level 3 tourism regulations, it appears that a loophole allows for intra-provincial travel.

Tshivhengwa argues that regulations allow for intra-provincial leisure travel only, with overnight stays at accredited accommodation providers, excluding home-sharing.

He says he's written to the Tourism Department outlining the council's legal interpretation of the new regulations.

As far as we've read the regulations and the directions which were gazetted just a couple of minutes ago, we believe that intra-provincial travel is allowed.

Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO - Tourism Business Council of South Africa

You can travel within your province and we also believe that accommodation is opened for leisure purposes.

Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO - Tourism Business Council of South Africa

If you look at the regulations from Cogta, they say that the only exception for leisure that's not allowed is home-sharing. That means that all the other accommodation for leisure is allowed.

Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO - Tourism Business Council of South Africa

I have since written to the Tourism Department and the DG to say that is our interpretation unless we get something in writing that says we are not allowed we will continue as such.

Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO - Tourism Business Council of South Africa

Listen to his interpretation on Afternoon Drive with John Maytham:

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