South Africa's hospitality industry faces an uncertain future

The new Omicron variant identified in South Africa has plunged the travel industry back into uncertainty.

Many countries have placed South Africa and other African nations in the red list fearing further spread of the virus.

Many South Africans disagree with the new restrictions.

"When will this whole scenario of COVID started, we are the people (South Africans) who get the hardest impact, right? And for people who are running businesses, interlinking South Africa and other countries and raising the economy of South Africa between those businesses they are doing, that (travel bans) is damaging", said Tebogo Masiu, a guest at Tamboti Bush Lodge.

Others simply feel that South Africa is being treated unfairly.

This is the view of Smangele Twala, another guest staying at the Lodge.

"So as Africans, we never going to, you know, be on equal footing as the other international countries, like the UK's of this world. We must learn to live with this thing (the virus), it's here, you know. We have scientists that are researching on it. So why are we saying no more South Africans, what is different with us? So that's my opinion about it. It's unfair, they are victimizing us", accused Smangele Twala.

The hospitality industry in South Africa was expecting a busy festive season after the country was removed from the UK's red list last October.