Luxury cruise liner company MSC has suspended all its domestic sailing in South Africa until 9th January next year.
According to a statement from the cruise company, the increasing number of new infections in the country prompted them to voluntarily suspend all sailings in the country.
However, there are reports that about 80 people who were onboard the cruise ship that was docked in Durban on Friday tested positive for COVID 19.
Managing Director for MSC Cruises South Africa said they are awaiting guidance from government.
Massive losses expected this festive season
The South African tourism industry says it could possibly lose between 20 and 30-billion-rand this festive season due to the high number of booking cancellations, following the discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
This after several countries including the United States and the United Kingdom imposed travel bans on several countries in southern Africa including South Africa.
A group of ambassadors from 16 African countries are lobbying the US government to “immediately” lift its COVID-19 travel ban against eight African nations.
In a joint statement, the ambassadors from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) argue the restrictions are unfair and negatively stigmatize the African continent.
Dozens of countries imposed a travel ban on South Africa and seven other nations after the discovery of the Omicron variant.
