PCR tests: Tourism Business Council of SA wants them scrapped

The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) say that costly PCR tests should urgently be done away with.

According to TravelNews, the need for PCR tests from fully vaccinated visitors entering South Africa need to be abolished as soon as possible, as they remain a major hurdle for tourism recovery.

CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa said that the organisation had resolved to get these pricey tests scrapped since last year.

“We have addressed this at Nedlac and National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure level and we know the Department of Health is considering proposals regarding this.” He said many countries globally were scrapping the tests, with Portugal being the latest to implement this.” said Tshivhengwa.

“If the scientists advising policies around this have specific concerns and reasons as to why these tests should not be scrapped, they need to explain this so we can better understand what is driving these concerns,” he added.

Tshivhengwa also said that the TBCSA was in the process of ‘responsibly and mindfully’ revising some of the COVID-19 health and safety protocols as well. To try to ensure that the travel industry could move forward and not be hindered by the inconvenience of some of these regulations.

ALSO READ: Bonjour! France instates new rules for entry to the country

Pricey PCR tests

The need for PCR tests are not just a hurdle for international visitors entering South Africa, but one for South Africans coming back home too. TravelNews reported that a traveller recently returning to South Africa from Scotland had to pay a costly £149 (R3 120) for a single PCR test.

ALSO READ: US tourists now make up most of SA’s foreign visitors