Ebola fears hit tourism industry

Tourism has become the first casualty of the Ebola virus fear in South Africa.

Although no cases of infection by the deadly virus have been reported in this country, scores of Asian tourists have cancelled their trips here, fearing that they might contract Ebola during their visit.

According to Southern African Tourism, 1500 tourists from Thailand, who were due to visit South Africa between this month and October, have cancelled their trips and smaller groups from Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Japan have followed suit.

Channel News Asia reported that five travel agents in Singapore cancelled tours to South Africa between next month and December.

Thirteen tour groups asked that bat-viewing be excluded from the itinerary. Fruit-bats are thought to be a host of the virus.

They also asked for game meat to be taken off the menu, fearing that Ebola could be spread through the blood of animals.

Super Travels, based in Singapore, advised its clients not to touch or feed animals in South Africa.

Pretoria tourism expert Martin van Niekerk said it was difficult to estimate the loss of tourist revenue as a result of the cancellations.

"One would have to look at how long the trips were going to be, where the tourists were going to be staying and all the other details of each holiday. It's just too difficult to come up with that sort of figure," he said.

Van Niekerk said Asian tourists were known for being safety conscious.

"They are not adventurous tourists, so they get scared off very easily when there are medical threats or disasters," he said.

South Africa had to market itself as a safe destination that was nowhere near the Ebola-affected countries, he said.

Earlier this month, Tourism SA made it clear South Africa did not share a border with any of the affected West Africa countries, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

A Durban hotel manager, who did not want to be named, said several tourists had to be repeatedly reassured at the weekend.

"We were happy to answer all their questions but I can't imagine that they are enjoying their holiday when they are so afraid," he said.

He was relieved when the Department of Health said yesterday that a South African who had been admitted to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital at the weekend had tested negative for Ebola.

The man, a 37-year-old health and safety officer working in Liberia, was on leave in South Africa.

Some South Africans are also afraid to travel because of Ebola.

Thompsons Holidays said a few of its clients had put their travel plans on hold.

Last week, SA Airways said its decision to continue flying to West Africa was consistent with the position adopted by the World Health Organisation and the International Air Transport Association.

SAA spokesman Tlali Tlali said a WHO committee concluded that "there should be no general ban on international travel or trade" to West Africa. But yesterday, the WHO called on the authorities in countries affected by Ebola to check people departing at airports, seaports and major border crossings, and to stop any with signs of the virus from travelling.

As of yesterday, all Africans required a health certificate to enter Indonesia.

The health certificate must confirm that the traveller consulted a local doctor and tested negative for Ebola.

Mumbai hospitals specialising in fertility treatment have restricted the number of South African admissions because of Ebola.

Seven Hills and Jaslok hospitals, which usually treat at least 100 South African patients a month, are allowing entry only to patients who require emergency surgery.

In Seoul, South Korea, a South African woman was the only African allowed into a bar - which had banned Africans due to Ebola - because she was white.

The woman, identified as Harriet Harrie, posted a picture on Facebook of a sign outside the bar that stated: "We apologise but, due to Ebola virus, we are not accepting Africans at the moment."

The JR Pub owners have since apologised.

South African companies operating in affected countries are taking precautions.

AngloGold Ashanti spokesman Chris Nthite said the mining company had operations as close as 25km from the affected areas but no Ebola infections had been detected.

AngloGold owns mines in both Guinea and Mali.

"We are taking precautions, which include hygiene ... We have also restricted travel to and from our Siguiri gold mine in Guinea."

Cellpone network operator MTN, which has operations in Nigeria and Liberia, is distributing information about Ebola and has beefed up the cleaning of its offices in Liberia, particularly bathrooms and toilets.

"MTN is also issuing personal protective equipment and clothing to employees who are either field or frontline staff, such as those in stores and service centres," said group spokesman Chris Maroleng.