To have a successful Covid-safe event and provide safety to the delegates attending Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022, South African Tourism has prepared a set of rules and precautionary measures.

Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022, the key travel trade event in Africa, is set to open with Business Opportunity Networking Day on May 2 with trade days from May 3 to 5. In preparation for the opening, South African Tourism has finalised detailed rules for safe conduct of the event, notably from the perspective of Covid-19 pandemic. A press release by South African Tourism says that it will be a Covid-safe event for all delegates attending the trade show at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, in Durban by abiding strict Covid-19 regulations.

On April 5, after President Cyril Ramaphosa lifted the national ‘State of Disaster’ imposed two years ago due to the pandemic, certain Covid-19 regulations have been revised in the country, says a press release. The emphasis of the new guidelines still remains on businesses and individuals to continue following non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to help prevent a surge of Covid-19 cases, adds the press release.

Certain rules have been applied for foreign travellers entering South Africa. This includes showing proof of vaccination status or a negative RTPCR test not older than 72 hours before the travel begins to South Africa. It also mandates a requirement of antigen test on arrival if vaccination status not shown, isolation for 10 days if tested positive and having the option of receiving vaccinated status on arrival for those who don’t have it yet.

The health and safety of all delegates attending the show has been declared to be of utmost importance to SAT, so abiding by the Covid-19 protocols has been prioritised highly, says the press communiqué.

It adds that ‘Meetings Africa 2022’, which was a business events trade show that was owned and hosted by South African Tourism, was a great success in February this year as all delegates had followed strict procedures as per government guidelines. The same will be repeated for Africa’s Travel Indaba, it says.

The other conditions for the event include allowing only 50 pc capacity of the convention centre to be used and maintaining a social distancing of one metre. Wearing masks will be compulsory inside all venues, including public spaces and inside all of Indaba’s transport vehicles, it says.

South African Tourism says that testing stations and a vaccination site will be made available at designated areas within the Africa’s Travel Indaba precinct of the convention centre and delegates will need to complete an electronic screening form, prior to arrival at the venue. The pre-screening link will be provided the day before the show. “Upon receipt of a confirmation message, the delegate will be cleared for admittance. This confirmation will need to be presented for boarding shuttles and for entry into the exhibition venue,” it adds.