Travel bookings surge as U.K. takes S. Africa off red list

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African travel agencies are reporting a surge in reservations for travel to and from Britain ahead of the country being removed from the U.K.’s COVID-19 red list next week. Some companies said they were being overwhelmed by the number of people looking to travel since the U.K. announced on Thursday it would lift restrictions on arrivals from 47 countries, including South Africa. The change will come into effect on Monday. Andrew Stark from Flight Centre Travel Group says there was “a big surge” in reservations from the moment the change was announced. The U.K. is South Africa’s biggest tourism source market outside Africa with more than 400,000 British travelers traditionally visiting South Africa every year.