Blog

As the Covid 19 virus sweeps through, cities, countries and continents around the globe the MTPA responds to the Presidents call to take the necessary precautionary measures to minimize the spread of infection within the province. Working closely with the South African Tourism as well as the health and safety authorities the MTPA remains focussed and committed to closely monitoring the situation as it develops both locally and internationally to ensure the safety of locals and travellers visiting the province.

While selected events and exhibits due to take place i locally and throughout the country during upcoming months have been postponed, among these include the recent announcement by Reed Exhibitions Africa postponing the WTM Africa until 2021 as well as the SA Tourism' Africa's Travel Indaba 2020.

The Gert Sibande Liberation Route memorial lectures and music festival that were scheduled to take place at the end of March as well as the Mpumalanga Pre-Easter Prayer and Gospel Festival that was scheduled for April 4, 2020 at the Mbombela Stadium have both been postponed until further notice.

While the recent Covid 19 development shave begun to take a toll on the South African Tourism industry, the MTPA encourages visitors not to cancel but rather postpone trips and meetings to some parts of the province as authorities closely monitor the situation and remain guided by the health and safety authorities.

Haveing acted swiftly in taking various steps in response to make provision for sanitizer dispensers in our various nature reserves and reception areas and to further ensure that our ablutions are serviced regularly and soap dispensers are maintained. These interventions will assist in ensuring that we maintain a hygienic environment for tourists visiting our attractions.

The MPTA continues to encourage tourism businesses, tour operators and the local tourism industry at large to continue to follow the basic precautionary measures put in place to minimize the infection and spread of the virus. We further encourage carrying of own pens to complete documentations by patrons visiting all tourism establishments or sanitizers should be used at all times after using common pens.

As new cases that test positive for the SARS-CoV-2 also known as Covid- 19 the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) continues to encourage the South African public to continue to practice preventative measures in order to curb the spread of the Corna Virus.

Among these measures the public is urged to exercise social distancing, hand hygiene as well as appropriate cough etiquette.

Other recommendations to reduce the spread of the virus shared by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases include;

• Avoid close contact with individuals that are not well
• Stay at home if you are ill
• Avoid touching your face
• Clean hard surfaces thoroughly
• Cover your cough or sneeze into a bent elbow or into a tissue
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds using soap