THE Klein Karoo towns of Oudtshoorn and De Rust are open for business and want to encourage South Africans to explore the wide range of attractions and activities on offer in a safe environment, says the mayor of the Greater Oudtshoorn, Chris Macpherson.
“We are taking all precautions because your safety is our concern and we do not want you to miss out on a wonderful sun-filled experience during this festive season,” says Macpherson.
“Oudtshoorn is a town for all ages offering visitors wonderful experiences over the holidays, many of which take place in the warm outdoors – including leisurely afternoons discovering local food and wines, family road-tripping through the Swartberg Circle Route, a visit to the Cango Caves and Cango Wildlife Ranch, an early morning meerkat meeting and a visit to one of the famous ostrich farms, to mention only a few.”
The iconic Cango Caves is open for heritage tours every 30 minutes for a limited number of people. According to Alison Moos, the operations manager at the Cango Caves, all safety protocols as gazetted by the Department of Labour and Health are in place.
Tammy Moult, chairperson of Oudtshoorn and De Rust Tourism, says that visitors should not be deterred and that tourism stakeholders have been eagerly awaiting tourists for many months.
“We are hopeful that law enforcement will manage compliance processes appropriately throughout the Garden Route to ensure that everyone adheres to the mandatory rules.
“Oudtshoorn is in fact the exact place to get away from the madness of 2020. Every road leads here… where you can nourish your soul with wide open spaces and natural wonders. It is the perfect place to breathe, explore, rest and repeat.”
The manager of Oudtshoorn Tourism, Corleen Barnard, also confirmed that the local tourism sector has put every effort into ensuring visitor safety with number controls, screening and enough sanitising stations to meet visitor demands.
