By: Zethu Gweva
In a bid to protect local businesses from closure the National Department of Tourism has allocated an amount of R200 million to the tourism relief fund to boost provincial and local business.
According to a statement issued by Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality this morning, there are 102 affected businesses in the Metro that have benefitted from the tourism relief fund.
Buffalo City Metro Spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said this represents only 10% of the total number of tourism businesses in the Metro and approximately 90% of the tourism businesses have not received support.
Ngwenya added that businesses that are operating as quarantine sites are the only businesses that are able to generate income during the lockdown.
“The tourism sector has been totally shut down for a period of close to five months. A few quarantine sites generated income during the lockdown,” said Ngwenya.
Ngwenya further said the sector employs more than 9500 people directly and generates approximately R1.3 billion. He added that the Government has Introduced tourism grading fees.
“Businesses are encouraged to apply for grading and no fees are required,” he said.
It is said that there is a R30 million tourist guide relief package targeting tourist guides who did not benefit from the UIF.
A total of 130 tourist guides from the province have benefitted.
The process is not yet finalised.