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The South African National Parks (SANParks) on Monday said the country's national parks will remain open as they take necessary precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
This follows the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night to close all schools and ban the gathering of over 100 people.
"In these trying times, it should also come as some relief to people weary from disease outbreak concerns, that National Parks with its wide-open spaces, low-density tourist numbers, self-drive and self-catering accommodation options, is still able to provide excellent opportunities for isolation, rest and relaxation," said SANParks CEO Fundisile Mketeni.
He pointed out that those travellers who are concern about their safety can postpone or amend their visit without being penalized or charged extra fees.
"We are taking extra measures to enhance cleaning and hygiene protocols in all our parks. Furthermore, we are working closely with a team of experts from the health and tourism sector to assess and guide interventions on a daily basis," he said.
Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) CEO David Frost said they are committed to responding proactively to safeguard travellers.
"We face a difficult challenge as an industry to respond to this continuously evolving situation. Our only defense is to monitor the situation around the clock and put in place proactive measures and flexible policies to assist travellers, members and their customers, so that when the situation returns to some normality, South Africa is open for business and ready to welcome the world," said Frost.
Frost said they understand that the government decision was difficult and supports any measures aimed at keeping its citizens safe.
