Omicron travel bans strike South Africa’s safari business

By SEBABATSO MOSAMO
Associated Press

DINOKENG GAME RESERVE, South Africa (AP) — Recent travel bans imposed on South Africa and neighboring countries as a result of the discovery of the omicron variant in southern Africa have hammered the country’s safari business, already hard hit by the pandemic. South Africa’s tourism industry, which suffered a more than 70% drop in foreign tourists in 2020 because of COVID-19, was just beginning to hope for an improved outlook for the holiday season and the year ahead. Buth then the news of omicron struck, bringing a slew of international restrictions on flights. Fred Plachesi, owner of the Tamboti Bush Lodge in the Dinokeng Game Reserve, north of the Tshwane metropolitan area, which includes Pretoria, said that safari lodges are experiencing cancellations and few new reservations.