The South African Tourism Services Association (Satsa) has acknowledged the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent declaration classifying the rise in Monkeypox (Mpox) cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) “as a public health emergency of international concern”.
The organisation, which represents over 1 100 inbound tourism products across Southern Africa, yesterday said it fully supported efforts to combat the spread of Mpox and recognised the seriousness of this declaration.
Satsa CEO David Frost said they were “deeply concerned by the inaccurate and misleading reporting surrounding the outbreak”.
Frost said they recognised the need for international cooperation to address the outbreak effectively.
“However, media narratives that generalise and stigmatise the entire continent do not contribute to resolving the crisis,” Frost said.
“It is critical to understand that Africa is not a country, but a vast continent –geographically larger than China, the US, and Europe combined. Each of its 54 countries has unique environments and health contexts,” he said.
Frost said painting the entire continent as a high-risk zone due to a localised outbreak was not only factually incorrect, it is damaging to crucial tourism economies across Africa.
The organisation said Southern Africa remained a safe and desirable travel destination. It said tour operators in the region were committed to the highest safety standards and were working closely with local authorities to monitor the situation.
It said this unnecessary “fearmongering was counterproductive”.
“Satsa urges media outlets to provide accurate, contextualised and responsible reporting that avoids harmful generalisations. The risk to travellers in unaffected areas remains low,” it said.
“While the WHO’s declaration highlights the need for global vigilance, the risk to travellers in Southern Africa engaging in standard tourism activities is minimal. There is no need to cancel or alter travel plans to Southern Africa at this time,” it pointed out.
Satsa said it supported the WHO’s efforts and remained committed to ensuring that travellers to Southern Africa have a safe and memorable experience.
“We advise staying informed through reliable sources such as the WHO, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).”
Earlier this week, Professor Elmarie Slabbert of the Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society (TREES) research unit at North West University (NWU) said Africa was in the best possible position to benefit from post-pandemic travel.
“In terms of tourism, the continent has grown significantly post-Covid 19, and according to the United Nations Tourism Report 2024, the continent has achieved a 96% recovery, which is driven by European markets,” Slabbert said.
She added there was something to be said about the hospitality of Africans, the vast landscapes to escape to, the bucket list drive, the special places to visit and above all, “the unique and authentic experiences that this is Africa”.
“This continent has also opened its doors wide to tourists after realising the devastating effect of the absence of tourists. Priorities post-Covid such as air connectivity, digitisation, investment and ease of access have contributed to this growth,” Slabbert said.
BUSINESS REPORT