Durban - Travel group, Flight Centre, has welcomed back the continuation of intra-provincial domestic leisure travel.
Managing Director Flight Centre Travel Group Middle East and Africa, Andrew Stark, said government has recognised the importance of the travel and tourism industry opening sooner rather than later, under strict health and safety measures, to stimulate the ailing economy.
The regulations allow for intra-provincial leisure travel only, with overnight stays in formally accredited and licensed accommodation with strict health protocols in place.
Travel within a province is permitted for leisure purposes for activities allowed under Alert Level 3, for example, golf, hiking and visiting a casino, restaurant or game reserve.
According to the regulations, home-sharing accommodation, such as Airbnb, and domestic air travel for leisure purposes is not allowed.
In his presidential address on June 17, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that leisure travel will be phased in gradually as the government aims to open more sectors in order to save jobs and enable more businesses to trade.
Stark said with the phased reopening of business travel, travel agencies have assisted corporate clients with their essential business travel needs.
"Allowing leisure travellers the opportunity to travel within their province is a positive move in the right direction," he said.
Stark said he hopes that the new regulations will encourage South Africans to start travelling again, while abiding to strict health and safety protocols and complying with government restrictions.
He said that the Flight Centre Travel Group is focusing strongly on domestic travel, South Africa for South Africans, for the next two years.
All international passenger flights remain prohibited, except those flights authorised by the Minister of Transport.