Mbabane: Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA) has embarked on an industry assessment survey to establish the exact losses incurred by the industry after coronavirus outbreak.
According to ETA Head of Marketing Siboniso Madlopha, the survey started last week and is set to be finished by the end of June.
The ETA wants to establish the actual losses incurred by the industry and the real issues affecting them.
The survey is headed by ETA Chief Executive Officer Linda Nxumalo.
Madlopha stated that the authority has set up many teams within who will visit tourist establishments and key industry players to establish the problems and losses incurred and to find the exact effects of the Covid-19 on their businesses.
Madlopha said the data that is being collected will be used to evaluate the rapidly evolving situation and put forth recommendations with regards to financial implications of the crisis, immediate support measures for tourism businesses and strategizing recovery of the tourism industry.
The findings of the study will then help in coming up with a comprehensive industry recovery strategy and to determine bailouts which the industry may need to come back to business.
Madlopha noted that ETA has already come up with other campaigns in place like Unlock Eswatini in a bid to revive the industry.
Lockdown
During the Covid-19 emergency, governments effected lockdowns and travel restrictions, and the tourism industry was one of the first sectors that was hugely impacted.
Despite economy being opened, many players in the tourism industry were already casualties, such that it has become hard for them to move forward.
Since the effects of travel ban, the number of tourists coming into the country decreased to zero. As a result hotels were empty and the industry came to an abrupt halt.
Losses
Earlier on, the ETA CEO said the sector had submitted projected losses estimated to about E403 million based on the tourism receipts. Nxumalo said this was according to a preliminary analysis that was done by her entity.
The Times of Eswatini recently quoted the Business Eswatini CEO, Nathi Dlamini as saying the tourism industry needs E100 million bailout for the industry to survive.
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