Botswana and a number of other countries in southern Africa have been added by Britain on its travel ban list due to the new mutant strain of the coronavirus that was reported in South Africa late last year, an aviation official said on Tuesday.
All travellers who came from or transited through Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique, Angola, the Seychelles, and Mauritius are prohibited from entering the United Kingdom, said Modipe Chris Nkwe, a manager for public relations and communications at the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana.
“Our proximity to South Africa has resulted in the action by the UK. This is causing Botswana’s aviation industry to lose more money. So far, Botswana’s aviation industry has lost over 90 percent of revenue,” said Nkwe.
Also read: Botswana added to UK’s travel corridor list of exempt countries
Nkwe said the ban of flights from Botswana will have a negative impact on the southern African country’s tourism sector since “we are the travel facilitators of tourists from their countries to the magnificent destinations in Botswana.”
On Dec. 23, 2020, the United Kingdom started denying entries by visitors who had travelled from or through South Africa, and banned all direct flights from South Africa.
Source: Xinhuanet