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India Outbound has the pleasure to present you a unique section on its flagship website dedicated to Africa travel news and a monthly B2B newsletter focusing on the promotion of travel & tourism development in African countries for the Indian travel trade. This initiative is the first of its kind in the Indian market and we look forward to provide timely and accurate information on Africa and contribute to a better understanding and knowledge of the continent that is often a victim of bias, clichés and other false information.

Tanzania Tourism Board discusses recovery plans

Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB) has come up with recovery plans for tourism sector during and after coronavirus outbreak. Ever since outbreak of the global deadly coronavirus pandemic, countries are trying to figure out measures of ending the spread which includes lockdown, curfew and relieving up international travel which is highly associated with revenue earning from the hospitality industry.

TTB board chairman Thomas Mihayo has said that the board was putting efforts of ensuring that it withholds tourism interest as a way of having tourists visiting the country's attractions after the pandemic in manageable. "We are continuing to prepare television programmes to keep on advertising tourism sites and rebranding 'Tanzania unforgettable slogan' to local and international television and online platforms for tourists to keep remembering Tanzania for them to arrange their safaris to the country when a remedy for COVID-19 is attained," he told journalists in Dar es Salaam last week. He revealed other strategies including advising tourists who have earlier planned visitation to Tanzania to consider pushing ahead than canceling them, where they may continue with the recreational trips when travel is reopened again.

He said that experts have already warned more slump in tourisms earnings which contributes nearly 17 percent of GDP, and was growing steadily before COVID-19 outbreak where in the year 2018, there were recorded 1,505,702 who visited the country. There was a growth in number of Indian tourists visiting Tanzania for adventure tourism, however the latest numbers are yet to be revealed.

Commenting on the magnitude that the tourism sector in the country has been shaken by limitation of international travel, the managing Director of TTB, Devota Mdachi said that it was still being evaluated. "COVID-19 has occurred in the period of the year when it is a low season for tourism. However, our marketing department is still conducting intensive assessment to identify the effects and the report will be released later."

Seychelles Tourism Board conducts survey on COVID-19 impact

The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) is conducting a survey on COVID-19 in collaboration with the Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS) to assess what the pandemic has had on the tourism industry. The STB’s Strategic Planning and Market Intelligence section is working alongside the CBS team to ensure that relevant data is collected from local tourism establishments.

“For CBS, the survey aims to gather valuable insight on the financial repercussions the pandemic is having and will continue to have on tourism-related businesses, primarily tourism accommodations establishments. This includes assessing the ability of local establishments to cover existing debts and the flexibility of credit-granting institutions to support their clients,” says the governor of CBS, Caroline Abel.

Tourism being the country’s main economic pillar, the halt in passenger flights as a result of measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, means a decline in not only visitor arrivals but also tourism earnings. CBS’ preliminary estimate shows that the annual growth in tourism earnings is to contract by 70 percent in Euro terms compared to 2019.

“Travel may have come to a standstill, with no incoming flights, but that does not mean that our work has stopped, as much has been invested in this industry, which has long been our bread and butter. We have a duty to keep abreast with developments within the industry at all times and STB will continuously monitor the impact of the current pandemic and offer its support while working diligently to help the industry to bounce back after the crisis,” says STB’s chief executive Sherin Francis.

High uptake of online training of South African Tourism by Indian agents

SA Specialist, South African Tourism’s interactive online learning programme, has witnessed an increase in the number of Indian travel trade personnel undertaking the training as agents use the lockdown to upskill and reskill themselves on South Africa, one of the most sought after outbound destinations in India. Commenting on the importance of trade trainings during this dull period, Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – MEISEA, South African Tourism said, “We are proud that the travel fraternity as always has shown resilience, and is taking proactive steps to turn a global crisis into a learning opportunity by educating and upskilling themselves. It gives me great pleasure to share that in less than 4 months of 2020, the SA Specialist programme saw 1,161 new registrations from India, with 672 graduates thus far! Indian registrations account for nearly one-third of our global registrations for 2020. Since 2013, India has had the highest number of SA Specialists after South Africa."

Through the SA Specialist programme agents can become a South African Tourism-accredited travel specialist who has the knowledge to sell South Africa as a destination. They are also entered into the South African Tourism (SAT) database of SAT specialists, thus improving their marketability. Qualified agents will receive a certificate confirming that they have successfully completed the relevant course, and will be entitled to use the name 'SA Specialist' or 'South African travel expert' in their marketing materials.

From January to December 2019, the destination welcomed 95,621 Indian visitors to South Africa – a 2.3 pc YoY increase. The average length of stay saw an 8 pc YoY increase in the first half of 2019 from 25 nights to 27 nights. Total Indian traveller spends in the first half of 2019 were at a four-year high, with South African Tourism achieving 64 pc of its annual spends target within this period.

    
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